BCS have just launched a microsite on their website aimed at
recruiting managers and HR recruiters: http://www.bcs.org/recruiters
They are pushing for hirers to add ‘Member of BCS’ to their
candidate requirements, look for FBCS, MBCS or AMBCS after candidates’ names,
look for CITP (Chartered IT Professional, the chartered status for IT and
computing) after candidates’ names and to ask for evidence of Continuing Professional
Development (MBCS and above grades of membership and CITP are required to
maintain a log of CPD).
Personally I have been asking internally within the
membership for BCS to demonstrate the value to me of membership by
demonstrating to employers the advantage of hiring and MBCS over someone who is
not a member. In the current issue of
the members magazine they have stated that the average salary for someone with
CITP is £92,000pa, but that just makes me wonder if they earn that because they
have CITP or they can justify that salary as an IT professional independent of
having CITP.
Some key questions I have (as an MBCS and MIET) are:
- What do BCS need to do (other than increase marketing spend) to convince employers to class membership of BCS at least desirable if not mandatory for IT workers?
- What do BCS need to do to convince employers that funding BCS membership fees for those employees who qualify is a good investment?
- What do BCS need to do to convince employers that sponsoring an employee through CITP is a good investment?
I suspect that a big part of the answer to those questions
will be in convincing the customers of those employers that buying from a
company that employs members of BCS and promotes advancement through the levels
and attainment of CITP is better than buy from one that does not.
