Hong Kong should adopt a multi- dimensional approach with short and longer term measures, focusing on both supply and quality, to address its IT manpower issue.

In a draft report tabled at the Legislative Council Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting Monday, the Task Force on IT Manpower noted that IT workers were required not only in the IT industry but in almost every other sector of the economy as well.

In the Report on Manpower Projection to 2005 commissioned by the government, it was revealed that the overall demand for IT personnel in Hong Kong would grow from 50,000 in 1999 to about 98, 000 in 2005, at an average annual growth rate of 11.8 percent.

These figures, representing an average additional demand of between 8,000 and 11,000 annually, illustrate that there is a clear need to adopt immediate and longer term measures to address the shortage of IT manpower in Hong Kong, the Task Force noted.
Recognizing the importance of developing IT human resources, the government has been investing substantially at all levels of education and training.

The five-year strategy "Information technology for Learning in a New Era" was launched in primary and secondary schools in 1998 to drive the development of IT in education. The strategy involves a capital investment of 3.2 billion HK dollars (410 million U.S. dollars) and annual recurrent expenditure of over 550 million (70 million U.S. dollars).
In the tertiary sector, institutions have introduced various IT curricula at degree level or above as well as strengthening the IT infrastructure in campus. Local vocational, retraining and industry support bodies also provide a wide range of IT training at sub-degree level to sustain the development of Hong Kong's IT industry.

There is also a wide range of continuing and professional education on IT for life-long learning.

Some local universities require all their students to have basic IT knowledge. The successful completion of an IT proficiency test is a requirement for graduation.