While the current economic slowdown has diminished demand, such demand for new talent persists. Indeed, this new study finds that employers will attempt to fill over 900,000 new IT jobs in 2001. Of this total, 425,000 positions will go unfilled because of a lack of applicants with the requisite technical and non-technical skills. Last year, ITAA found a shortage of approximately 850,000 workers-or twice the current total.

Four-year college degrees proved the best pre-hire means of attaining needed skills and knowledge in four of eight job categories: database development/administration, enterprise systems, programming/software engineering and technical writing. Private technical schools pulled the highest marks for network design/administration and digital media.

IT certification training gives career changers a key to a top paying career. It is truly the best alternative for a college degree or experience”, says Zafar Khizer, founder of PC AGE Certified IT Career Institute and author of 17 computer books.

Check www.itaa.org for more information.