[LINK] ACS pushes for ethics-based recruiting in Government

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

ACS pushes for ethics-based recruiting in Government
BY SIOBHAN CHAPMAN
1 October, 2002 9:28
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
http://www.computerworld.com.au/idg2.nsf/All/CE73F0598B964A5DCA256C4400827E0D!OpenDocument&NavArea=Home&SelectedCategoryName=News

The Australian Computer Society wants the Federal Government to acknowledge
and strive to improve the level of professionalism within its IT staff.

The ACS called for improved emphasis on professionalism amongst IT staff in
the public sector as part of a submission the Senate Finance and Public
Administration committee's inquiry into Australian Public Service
recruitment and training.

In the submission, the ACS called for the Government to establish
recruitment guidelines for IT professionals detailing appropriate
qualifications, working experience and undertakings.

ACS chief executive Dennis Furini said the submission allowed ACS to stress
the increasingly strategic role that IT professionals are playing in
Government, particularly in the delivery of products and services.

"In recognition of their important role, we believe recruitment guidelines
for IT professionals should include the ACS Core Body of Knowledge and Code
of Ethics as well as our Code of Professional Conduct and Professional
Practice," Furini said.

"A commitment to a code of ethics and code of professional conduct is
essential in terms of ensuring that IT-related work is always carried out
to the highest possible standard, bearing in mind any potential impact on
the organisation and the wider community."

Brian Kealey, operations manager in the information services branch at
Queensland Transport, said, "IT professionals [in the public sector] are at
least as good as the private sector.

"It would be unfair or unjust to question the level of professionalism in
the public sector, given the information and scale of ICT infrastructure
that they are involved in and service delivery they are caught up in, in a
non-commercial environment," Kealey said.

Kealey cited the Government's push to deliver services via electronic means
to illustrate the role of the IT professional as a strategic player in
government agencies.

"A lot of the public sector is moving ahead with electronic service
delivery; IT professionals are in the driving seat of [these] projects," he
said, adding that there is limited competition driving the level of
electronic service delivery that the government provides.

In August the Community and Public Sector Union made its submission to the
Senate Finance and Public Administration committee, raising concerns about
insufficient training budgets leading to a haemorrhaging of skilled staff
from the public sector, not just from IT.

Furini encouraged the committee to consider using the annual ACS
Remuneration Survey as a way of tracking industry wage levels and to
provide regular professional development for its IT staff to enable them to
maintain the currency of their skills.

"We also see a significant opportunity for the Commonwealth to provide
valuable work experience placements for young IT students and graduates,
helping to ease the transition between study and full-time work while
taking advantage of their training and enthusiasm," he said.

-- 
Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about
telescopes
-- Edsger Dijkstra

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@austarmetro.com.au
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