Curricular and marketing responses to offshoring of information technology services

The phenomenon of offshore outsourcing of information technology services demands both curricular and marketing responses from providers of information technology education. The high level of skill possessed by offshore providers of information technology services at lower cost than domestic (American) providers compels a serious re-examination of the outcomes of contemporary information technology education. Expected (and already apparent) decline in enrollment in information technology education as a result of increased publicity of offshoring compels a marketing response that extols the virtues of an information technology education that positions its graduates to successfully compete in this increasingly competitive global environment. This paper motivates and describes curricular changes that would prepare future graduates of information technology educational programs with skill sets that take them "up the value ladder" of information technology practice. As well as suggesting what changes may be motivated by market and other factors, it is equally important to consider what changes might NOT be advised in view of current conditions. In any case, it is clear that setting priorities are more important than ever as we also face the prospects of tight resources with competing demands. Furthermore, this paper suggests marketing messages that could mitigate the damaging effect on information technology educational programs that both the media and political discourse are causing as "offshoring" enters the mainstream of media and politics. This paper is intended to frame the issues in order to motivate discussion.