Young people with a qualification in IT are upbeat about their employment prospects despite current market conditions, with more than half confident about their job prospects in the
next year, according to a new survey of 16 to 30-year-olds commissioned by BCS.

But those under 30 who do not have post-GCSE IT qualifications are more pessimistic about their immediate job prospects than their IT-qualified peers, which may suggest
the current recession is increasing the employment divide between the digital cans and can'ts.

The research by BCS shows the majority of 16 to 30-year-olds (57 per cent) accept that 'those without IT skills will struggle at work' and a large number (49 per cent) think 'employers should get extra financial help to train people in IT business skills'.

'Young people realise even basic IT skills are now essential to their long-term employment prospects. They recognise that IT is a dynamic, global profession that offers a rewarding career equal to other traditional professions,' said Jennifer Hewitt, from BCS's Young Professionals Group.

'While it's great that those with IT qualifications are optimistic, it's worrying for those without IT qualifications if they can't get the jobs or careers they want. BCS wants to see a skilled IT workforce and an IT-literate population, not a bigger digital divide,' she added.

The research by BCS suggests young people's attitudes to IT as a career are changing. The change comes after two decades of exposure to the impact of IT on every aspect of people’s personal and professional lives. IT is beginning to be seen as a 'career of choice' alongside traditional middle-class professions.

However, the research also suggests that parents' attitudes haven't shifted quite so fast as those of their offspring. Under-30s thought that parents need to recognise IT as a profession just like other professions (68 per cent), and should do more to support children who want to study IT at school or university (55 per cent).

'We need to get more children and young people interested in IT as a subject. That means getting parents to recognise that IT and computer science are fundamental to society and therefore represent an excellent career choice too,' Jennifer Hewitt added.

BCS plays a key role in IT education through its role as an international awarding body for IT qualifications for IT practitioners and IT users. Over 1.5m people have chosen the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) to learn user skills, and 380,000 Information Systems Examination Board (ISEB) exams have been taken in the last ten years.

BCS promotes the study and practice of computing and advances the knowledge of IT for the benefit of the public. BCS also has a role in developing the IT profession whilst serving a growing membership, which currently stands at 68,000.