Vitae will become fully operational in September when the first Vitae Researcher Development Conference takes place looking at a new era of professional and development support for researchers in the UK. In the next 5 years, Vitae will focus its efforts in four key areas: effective policy development and implementation such as the now released new Concordat, sharing of practice and resources within the higher education sector, ensuring access to development opportunities and resources whilst building an evidence base to support researcher development.

Vitae works with all those with a stake in realising the potential of researchers, including universities, research institutes, employers and researchers themselves in order to provide specific support for researchers. "Vitae is passionate about valuing and developing those who are directly contributing to research and knowledge," said Ellen Pearce, the Director of Vitae. "By working together and establishing strategic partnerships between funders and national organisations and other stakeholders, we can champion the common needs and interests of all researchers."

"Increasingly, the UK is operating within a global economy. The future prosperity of the UK is dependent on our ability as a nation to further develop our research base and be innovative. Vitae will work with the higher education sector to embed the principles of the newly launched Concordat and encourage researchers to realise their potential", Dr Janet Metcalfe, Chair and Head of Vitae.

Vitae is supported by Research Councils UK (RCUK), managed by CRAC: The Career Development Organisation and delivered in partnership with regional Hub host universities. It builds on previous work by the UK GRAD Programme and UKHERD**.

Notes to editors

For interviews with Dr Janet Metcalfe, Chair and Head, Vitae and Ellen Pearce, Director, Vitae, call +44 (0)1223 448510, email maija.sirola@vitae.ac.uk

For more information about Vitae offers and activities, visit the new website www.vitae.ac.uk

**Vitae builds on the work of the UK GRAD Programme and the UK Higher Education Researcher Development Group (UKHERD) and is delivered in partnership with regional Hub host universities. [Link new contract updates]

The UK GRAD Programme (2003 – 2007), funded by the UK Research Councils and managed by CRAC: The Career Development Organisation, established an international reputation for its work supporting the personal and career development of postgraduate researchers. UKHERD was created in 2005 as a network of professionals working with research staff in UK institutions. It has raised the profile of the needs and impact of research staff in the UK and been a catalyst for activities that enhance the quality of provision for research staff.

The Concordat is a set of key principles for the future support and management of researchers’ careers within higher education.

About Vitae Researcher Development Conference

The Conference will focus on a new era of professional and development support for researchers in the UK. Significant and rapid changes in the global environment create both opportunities and challenges for building the skills base of UK researchers during the next five years.

About Research Councils UK (RCUK)

The Research Councils are committed to enhancing the quality and output of the UK research base through training the next generation of world-class researchers. The Vitae programme is a key part of how the Research Councils seek to sustain and improve the contribution of researchers to the quantity, quality and impact of research, to the benefit of UK society and the economy.

23 June 2008, London…A major new piece of national research into students’ thinking about careers in IT reveals that the vast majority consider the IT sector to have a bright future with good prospects for highly paid jobs. The research, based on nearly 2000 responses from undergraduates, found that the single most important reason for students not wishing to enter the sector was their perception that working in IT would be boring.

This research released today by CRAC: The Career Development Organisation, in its Sector Intelligence series, launched at  the British Computer Society (BCS), comes at a time when half of IT employers are failing to fill their vacancies and educators are worried about falling numbers studying computing.

“Over 60% of non-computing students cited boring work as the main reason they would not join the sector,” reports CRAC Development Director Robin Mellors-Bourne. “Employers should be able to counter that kind of perception.  We found that very few of the students hold negative perceptions about the IT profession or its people.”

The research also revealed significant differences in motivation for the career choices made by male and female students and the sorts of jobs that would attract them.  While female computing students were every bit as keen as their male counterparts to work in the sector, this was not the case for students in other disciplines.

“The survey suggests that many women will be attracted by the impact that IT projects have in other sectors and areas of life, while the men tend to like the technical projects” says Mellors-Bourne. 

Less than 10% of respondents felt that the benefits of a computing degree had been effectively communicated to them at school.  “We need to encourage more students to study computer science and computer related studies at universities in order to ensure that the IT industry can meet the demand for workers in the future.  Studying a computing or ICT A-level at school also   has a surprisingly big impact on whether a student ultimately goes into an IT career, irrespective of their degree,” says Mike Rodd, director of BCS Learned Society, which is driving an outreach campaign to schools.

The research confirmed that work experience remains the strongest influence on career choice for undergraduates, and that existing schemes are very successful in portraying work in the sector in a good light.  There appears to be great scope if these schemes can be targeted to students who would not otherwise be considering the sector. “Greater exposure of young people to the merits of a job in the IT sector is vital, we need to show them the variety of roles in IT and the importance that IT carries today – IT is at the heart of business these days and there are real opportunities now to have a career in IT which will ultimately lead to a position on the board” continued Mike Rodd.

“If the UK IT sector wants to remain competitive it needs to harness the best talent.  It is already doing a lot right but we have identified a few key areas in which some decisive change could be really effective,” concluded Mellors-Bourne.

Robin Mellors-Bourne

Development Director

CRAC: The Career Development Organisation

Tel: 01223 460277

Email: robin.mellors-bourne@crac.org.uk

• generating intelligence by conducting relevant research and analysis and sharing best practice across all careers sectors and ages
• providing innovation and developing new interventions and programmes for use by young people, students, teachers, careers practitioners and employers
• Dissemination of information through conferences, events and publications

For more information, visit www.crac.org.uk

Lynda Feeley

Press and PR Manager

The British Computer Society

Tel: 01793 417711

Email: Lynda.feeley@hq.bcs.org.uk

Website: http://www.bcs.org/

The British Computer Society (BCS) is the Chartered industry body for IT professionals, the Chartered Engineering Institution for Information Technology and a Chartered Science Institution.  With our rapidly growing membership, BCS is playing an increasingly pivotal role in leading the development and implementation of world class standards for the IT profession through innovative products, services and support.

Through our specific “Professionalism in IT” programme, BCS is leading and building IT professionalism to levels which are currently only seen in more traditional long standing professions such as law, medicine, and accountancy but which will increasingly become the de facto standards for IT professionals.

28 August 2007

£15m boost for research career support

Through its own Expanding Horizons programme, ISCO already provides a series of courses and events with a host of opportunities for young people to develop their knowledge and skills, which will be complemented by the range of CRAC's InterActive programmes on Enterprise, Skills for the World of Work, Financial Capability, Preparation for Work Experience, 6th Form Induction and Leadership Skills.

In recognition of the evolving demand for careers guidance and skills development for young people, ISCO has recently signaled a move to invest in broadening the scope and reach of its range of services to all schools in the UK. ISCO has a strong reputation for running very successful courses and workshops in schools and is perfectly placed to deliver the Interactive courses to a high standard.

For further information on running a programme in the remainder of this academic year or in 2007-8, contact Antonia Williams on 01276 21188.