The British Computer Society was created in 1957 to bring together a number of different groups to try and deliver on the grand dream of making all aspects of computing into a compelling public benefit. We have made great strides since then, and BCS has evolved continually to meet the ever-changing world we serve, never more so than in the last few years.
As we evolve, we see the world changing quicker than ever, and we know this pace of change will only increase. We must, therefore, respond and adapt quickly and more broadly to be relevant to the world we live in so that we are ready for the future.
We need not just change BCS but completely transform it. This month we are launching BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, with the aim not just of serving the ever changing world of the IT/computing professional in all its many guises, but more broadly "enabling the information society" as an international force. More than a million people work directly in information technology in the UK alone and computer science lies behind almost everything that happens in society. To really support not only these knowledge workers but an increasingly IT dependent society as a whole, our activities and capabilities have to become even more relevant to our members, the academic community, industry, government, volunteers and the public.
Today's economy is built on knowledge and it's on our ability to process, share and manage information that society thrives or dies. How well each country does these activities will in the end determine our financial standing. This information is the most vital commodity we possess.
We increasingly rely upon it to protect us from crime and terror; diagnose and treat us when we are ill; monitor and mitigate our impact on a wounded planet; provide open access to goods and services to fulfil our human needs; help us to save and spend our money wisely and profitably; collect, allocate and redistribute our taxes; ensure efficient and transparent markets; and work more effectively and efficiently on a daily basis. Ultimately, we rely upon information-based technologies to support the most human need of all, to communicate: sharing our needs, desires and aspirations with others.
IT could reasonably be called the first truly global profession, and the world needs an organisation that leads an IT profession fit to drive the information society, not just to follow it. BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, is intent on becoming that organisation, and this their transformation is the next major step in a long-term plan to achieve such a position.
To put IT to work, we must actively address a range of social integration challenges namely:
The digital divide - Contrary to popular belief, the digital divide has not closed. We too easily mistake broadband access for information literacy. A real and persistent gulf exists between the information haves and have-nots.
Information vulnerability - From identity theft to benefit fraud, money laundering and deception - information is still not secure.
Lax information management - The value of data is still not highly valued by the public, by modern institutions or even our profession.
Project failure - Many public and private IT projects still fail to deliver: too often, and too often on a grand scale.
Skills shortages - Nationally, and even globally, too few people are training in IT and too few are trained in the underlying fundamentals of computer science to solve our pressing problems.
Lack of a clear career path - Finally, too few of those who do train actually make it up the chain of command into management whether inside or outside the IT function. We have developed a clear strategy based around five specific pillars, which you will see much of in the coming years, in order to address these challenges. They will support bridging the gap between education practice and research; give practitioners the professional development and career support they deserve; inform public policy on how IT can contribute to society; ensure everyone benefits from IT; and champion the global IT profession.
This new BCS will take shape with a wide range of new qualifications, products and services supported by a brand new website (check out www.bcs.org) offering simplified sign-up, subscription management, better industry-academia contact, state of the art knowledge sharing and career development tools. The challenge and the opportunity for BCS is clear. The UK and the world need an IT profession that understands its social impact and has a long-term strategy to address it.
These are exciting and important times for the BCS. As the natural leader of the IT profession, responsible for awarding the much sought-after Chartered IT Professional status, it must stand up and act, as a hugely respected and independent professional body, for the benefit of the entire industry. This now embraces all professionals and practitioners from software engineers to business analysts, and the critical world of academia with its computer science foundations for all technology, across the globe, enabling the information society.
Mr Cachia is the chairman of the BCS Malta Section