REGISTRO DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12698906
Almir Ferreira de Paiva
Abstract
The rapid digitalization of the economy demands a comprehensive approach to training IT professionals, integrating technical skills with strategic competence, problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication. As IT roles become more complex and interconnected across various economic sectors, personalized educational modules supported by artificial intelligence and robust technical support are essential. This ensures training materials remain current and technologies are effectively integrated, enhancing training effectiveness and worker engagement. Additionally, the development of strategic competence, which involves planning and executing actions to achieve professional goals, is crucial for IT specialists to adapt to changing conditions and contribute to industry innovation and security. This dynamic and adaptive learning environment prepares a workforce capable of meeting future technological challenges.
Keywords: Digitalization; Strategic Competence; Artificial Intelligence; Technical Support; Skill Development.
IT roles include positions related to manufacturers and suppliers in the ICT sector as well as positions for users of ICT services across various economic sectors. These roles act as interfaces that integrate information and communication technology with production technology and business management. The growing digitalization across all sectors will greatly increase the number of interconnected systems, thereby enhancing the complexity of these interface functions. Alongside IT skills, personal and social abilities will become increasingly crucial in the evaluation of experts, as highlighted by Schwarz and Conein (2017).
Training IT professionals for the future poses numerous challenges and opportunities that mirror the rapid changes in the global technological landscape. As new technologies emerge and become integral to business operations and everyday life, the need for well-prepared and up-to-date professionals becomes more critical. This dynamic context demands innovative and adaptive approaches to skill development, focusing not only on technical proficiency but also on complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication. Keeping pace with these technological advancements and preparing the workforce for future challenges presents both an opportunity to transform IT education and a challenge to maintain the relevance and effectiveness of training programs.
The cyber domain encompasses various disciplines, including computer science, mathematics, economics, law, psychology, and engineering. It involves not only the interconnection of online devices but also the ways humans interact with and are affected by these technologies. Professionals in the cyber domain require a mix of technical skills, domain-specific knowledge, and social intelligence to be effective. They must be as dependable, trustworthy, and resilient as the networks they manage. Identifying the necessary knowledge, skills, attributes, and other characteristics in this field is more complex than simply outlining a set of technical skills for training, as noted by Dawson and Thomson (2018).
To address challenges in worker training, personalized educational modules supported by artificial intelligence are proposed. This technology would analyze human behavior patterns to determine the most effective interventions, aiming to improve worker performance and behavior. Technical support is crucial in this process, ensuring the technology functions correctly and providing immediate assistance in case of problems, thus minimizing training interruptions. Additionally, technical support aids in the personalization and continuous updating of educational modules, tailoring them to the specific needs of workers. This integrated approach, combining personalized education, artificial intelligence, and robust technical support, creates a dynamic and adaptable learning environment. This not only enhances training effectiveness but also boosts worker satisfaction and engagement, leading to a more productive and innovative work environment, as highlighted by Zhao (2021).
The pace at which training content for future IT professionals is updated often lags behind the rapid advancements in modern digital technologies. The digital transformation of the economy requires changes in the approaches to training qualified personnel in the IT sector. In this context, technical support plays a vital role, ensuring that training materials are always current and that new technologies are effectively integrated into training programs, as discussed by Buzhinskaya and Vaseva (2021).
Professionals in technology management must prepare for future challenges by assessing their current knowledge and skill set, adopting a long-term perspective, and understanding the implications for both practitioners and educators, according to Cetindamar, Phaal, and Probert (2016).
A key challenge in training future IT specialists is developing their strategic competence. This involves the ability to strategically plan and execute actions effectively in professional roles. Strategic competence is developed through a series of tactical actions that collectively form a strategic approach, enabling IT specialists to identify key actions needed to achieve their goals and professional tasks. This competence integrates essential qualities, knowledge, and skills, fostering a value-driven and flexible approach to strategic changes and decision-making based on external factors. The need for strategic competence is substantiated in three main areas: elemental (components and their interactions), functional (strategy adoption methodology), and procedural (strategy development and implementation). A high level of strategic competence allows IT specialists to set professional goals, choose effective behavior models, adapt to professional conditions, and execute planned actions, as emphasized by Nataliia, Iryna, and Maryna (2023).
Crucial aspects of professional training for IT specialists highlight that strategic competence enables the selection and preparation of appropriate hardware and software, problem-solving methods, IT infrastructure modernization, and optimization for innovation. This competence is vital for managing IT sectors, including infrastructure, projects, and costs, and enhancing industry security and stability. Additionally, long-term goal setting and optimizing IT systems through scientific knowledge in computational intelligence, data analysis, system programming, and more are underscored. Promising research directions include studying the current state of strategic competence development in future IT bachelors, as noted by Nataliia, Iryna, and Maryna (2023).
In conclusion, the rapid digitalization of the economy necessitates a comprehensive and adaptive approach to training IT professionals. This approach must integrate technical proficiency with strategic competence, problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication. As IT roles become more complex and interconnected, the need for personalized educational modules supported by artificial intelligence and robust technical support becomes paramount. Ensuring that training materials are current and that new technologies are effectively integrated is vital for preparing a workforce capable of meeting future challenges. The development of strategic competence, encompassing key areas such as component interactions, strategy adoption methodologies, and implementation processes, is essential for IT specialists to achieve their professional goals and contribute to the innovation and security of the industry. Ultimately, a dynamic and adaptable learning environment that emphasizes both technical and personal skills will enhance the effectiveness of training programs and ensure the relevance and preparedness of future IT professionals.
References
Buzhinskaya, N., & Vaseva, E. (2021). Features of formation of professional competence of future it professionals in the conditions of digital transformation of economy, 28-33. https://doi.org/10.37386/2413-4481-2021-1-28-33.
Cetindamar, D., Phaal, R., & Probert, D. (2016). Technology management as a profession and the challenges ahead. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 41, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JENGTECMAN.2016.05.001.
Dawson, J., & Thomson, R. (2018). The Future Cybersecurity Workforce: Going Beyond Technical Skills for Successful Cyber Performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00744.
Nataliia, V., Iryna, O., & Maryna, K. (2023). Strategic competence as a guarantee of professional activity of a modern it specialist. Bulletin of Alfred Nobel University Series “Pedagogy and Psychology». https://doi.org/10.32342/2522-4115-2023-1-25-2.
Schwarz, H., & Conein, S. (2017). Vocational Training of IT-Professionals – Coping with Future Demands. , 74-85. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58071-5_6.
Zhao, W. Training Workers to Thrive in Future Technology-Driven Environments: A Blueprint, 2021 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC), Princeton, NJ, USA, 2021, pp. 1-7, doi: 10.1109/ISEC52395.2021.9764107.