Source - Bangkok Post
By: SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK

The IT industry is moving to help cut unemployment by boosting skills and opening job opportunities for software programmers, IT security professionals and network specialists

Four software companies - Soft square 1999, Mfec, A-Host and Summit Computers - have teamed up in a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project expected to create 5,000 skilled IT jobs within three years.

Meanwhile there will be 100 IT security training grants for unemployed graduates.

A statistic from the National Statistics Office shows that each year 20,000 students graduate from information technology-related subjects, but the IT security industry is still underserved, according to Worathep Mongkonvatee, General Manager at ARIT, computer training and IT certification.

Moreover, around 170,000 of the 675,000 university graduates each year remain unemployed.

To help the government reduce unemployment and promote awareness of IT security certification in Thailand, ARIT, the sole representative distributor for EC-Council provider of IT security certification, has launched the "100 Careers Opportunities Persons EC-Council" (Copec). The project, worth 300,000 baht, will fund IT security training for 100 persons.

The company could have openings for graduates of IT, computer science, computer business and engineering who have not yet secured degree-specific employment. They will initially received Network Security Administrator (NSA) training.

Next, 20 of those who pass the NSA test will receive in-depth for Certified Ethical Hacker, or CEH, training the following month. Interest graduates can download an application form from http://www.eccouncilthailand.com until June 26.

"We have employment network partners such as PriceWaterhouseCooper and Manpower to directly link certified jobseekers with employers. There is demand for security professionals and due to a lack of specialists in this area, many businesses rely on network administrators to tackle computer risks," Worathep added.

Software training in the North

Ramade Silapapom, Managing Director of Soft Square 1999, an established leading software developer, told Database that the local software industry is keen to train the next generation of IT professionals, especially in the North of the country.

In Thailand, there are 40,000-50,000 software engineers or developers making a contribution of 50 billion baht to the software market, so each developer translates to one million baht. If this project creates 5,000 new developers, this could add a further 5 billion baht to the Thai economy.

The project called "IT Application& Service Cluster" is aimed at strengthening the software industry in the seven northernmost provinces of Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phrae, Nan, Lampang and Lamphun.

Under this project, professional programmers will train students and members of the public who are interest in developing software. The company will send volunteer employees to train and mentor participants for four months twice a year.

This model should help reduce the shortage of software engineers in Thailand. Currently, there is in-hand outsourcing worth more than 20-30 million baht to support participation in the project.

"We will pass jobs from Bangkok on to them, with appropriate payment, which will help them receive on-the-job training and boost revenue for the company at the same times as extending business without the need to recruit many permanent staff. We already have proof of this model in Mae Hong Son," Ramade explained.

He continued that if there are participants who want to set up new businesses in the target area, the company will send them jobs to create network alliances in outsourcing business as well as encouraging entrepreneurship.

The company also offers new entrepreneurship courses to help interested person to more easily launch businesses. Meanwhile, relationships will also be established with local universities such as North-Chiang Mai University and Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai province to encourage computer science students to start their own businesses.

Moreover, the company will also target high schools with a programmed called "Tonkla IT", aimed at enhancing computer skills and motivating pupils to consider studying IT to university level by setting up various activities and grants.

These projected IT workforces would support communities and facilitate IT solutions in service sectors, generating revenue for the provinces.

For example, they may set up computer service centers to provide updated online room reservations for small resorts and hotels which do not have computers or appropriately-trained staff. The centre would helps them gain an online presence, which could boost bookings, especially from foreign tourists.

IT in the community

Siriwat Vongjarukorn, president of Mfec, a leading software development company, said his company has set up its first branch in Chiang Rai. It employs 20 staff and expects to increase that figure to 30 within a year.

Mfec grants three million baht per year to support the hiring of local people and hopes to contribute nine to ten million baht to the provincial economy.

The company will connect and source jobs from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. However , the model is not in outsourcing but in the form of guarantees by Mfec, which will boost customer confidence in hiring staff, as well as create more opportunities for on-the-job training.

"We hope that this will create IT jobs for Rajabhat University and Mae Fah Luang University, which have around 200 computer science graduates with no local job opportunities," Siriwat explained.

He continued that if everything remains on track, the company plans to extend an IT project to create further local job opportunities.

For example, using IT for tourism, Mfec will purchase industrial-grade displays to illustrate tales of ancient Thailand with 3D virtual world software, giving tourists a new experience and instilling them a greater understanding of the country's history and culture.

The project will collaborate with Mae Fah Luang University to develop the content of the 3D presentation, which will launch in Chiang Saen district. In the future, if the Tourism Authority of Thailand expresses an interest in this concept, it could be extended to other historic sites.

In addition, the company may fund schools under the Mae Fah Luang University network to develop e-learning content to enhance computer skills for teachers.

"Even though we're not implementing the same model as Softsquare, we will share experiences and best practice as well as office resources to all companies involved in the cluster," Siriwat noted.

Ramade added that the Association of Thai ICT Industry (ATCI) had already approved the IT Application& Service Cluster into its roadmap and had persuaded other member companies to participate in the clusters.

Meanwhile Dr Tatchapol Poshyanonoda of global networking vendor Cisco Systems (Thailand) said the company will issue grants for networking skills training in an effort to reduce workforce shortages and help ease unemployment in Thailand .

The company expects to rollout the project later this year and help to train jobseekers and match with employers and fill at least 500 positions.