Thursday, October 23, 2008 Most IT graduates move out of Davao By Joy Romares-Sevilla
AN OFFICIAL of ICT Davao Inc., who is also the chair of the Computer Studies Division of one of the biggest universities in Davao City, claimed that most IT graduates are moving out of Davao, saying these students are mostly hired in Manila and in Cebu.
"Out of ten graduates, eight leave the city for a job either in Manila or Cebu, and only two stay," Edwin Marañon, vice-president for internal affairs of the ICT Davao Inc. and chair of the computer studies division of the Ateneo de Davao University, told media during Wednesday's edition of the Club 888 press forum at the Marco Polo Davao.
Marañon claimed that Davao City produces a pool of talented graduates capable of doing products and services related to ICT.
"We are happy that we are a good resource provider of other cities, but somehow, we want graduates to be redirected and consider Davao's industry," he said.
Marañon, on the other hand, said that with the entrants of several business process outsourcing (BPO) firms and other IT-related businesses such as software development firms in Davao, they are hopeful that graduates will start to consider Davao as a very place to start a career.
"We hope that this progression will be fast. The challenge in the IT sector is to develop more IT areas," Marañon said.
Marañon also revealed that the number of enrollees in the IT course in Addu this year has increased by 200 students compared to last year.
This only shows that the awareness of students taking up the course has also increased.
"There's a big demand of IT professionals. Many people from Manila or Cebu come down to Davao to recruit our students. The best IT professionals in Cebu are from Davao," he said.
He said that to attract BPO and IT investors to locate in Davao City, the perception that Davao is not a safe place to do business should be addressed.
"Many look at Mindanao as one piece of island, so Davao is affected. We have to come up with a partnership with media to change that perception," he said.
