Article From Long Island Business News

Panel: Despite recruiting woes, tech outlook is rosy
By Ross Daly
Friday, May 25, 2007

Identifying and retaining top talent remains the greatest challenge facing Long Island tech companies, according to an annual gathering of chief information officers.

“Recruiting is a major challenge,” said Allan Tillinghast, an executive vice president at Netsmart, a Great River-based supplier of software for health and human services providers. Tillinghast was speaking Tuesday at Jericho’s Milleridge Inn during a panel discussion on the Island’s technology outlook, sponsored by the Long Island Chapter of the Association for Information Technology Professionals.

Of special concern to Tillinghast is the small number of college students graduating from computer sciences and math programs. Netsmart, which recently went private, is looking for employees with strong math and analytical skills, as well as the ability to manage projects, and “we could fill 20 positions tomorrow if we could find the right people,” Tillinghast said.

Despite this growing concern, he sees “huge opportunities” for future Long Island growth across the tech sector.

But finding people with the right mix of skills remains a challenge, according to some panelists.

Sharon Cates-Williams, chief information officer for Suffolk County, said she craves employees who bring more than just technical skills. Workers need “the soft skills, the ability to communicate and write and think outside the box,” she said.

Tech employees also need “the ability to find answers on their own,” said Doron Jaget, director of technology strategy for security company Slomin’s. Evolving skills are especially important in fields that move quickly, where workers who study for a certain position often find requirements have changed by the time they get the job.

Tom Schlagel, director of the Information Technology Division of Brookhaven National Laboratory, agreed that diversified backgrounds allow people to shift more easily from project to project.

The corporate officers also discussed recent and ongoing projects. Cates-Williams told those in attendance about the “small project” she’s been spearheading – the effort to provide wireless broadband access to all of Suffolk and Nassau counties, thereby creating one of the largest wireless networks in the United States. A commission with members from both counties is currently reviewing proposals for a contract on the project.

With wireless mobility, “information becomes a companion, rather than a destination,” which is what happens when you’re tied to a library, school or encyclopedia, Cates-Williams said.

© 2007 Long Island Business News

For questions about this website please email aitp-li@aitp-li.org
AITP Long Island Chapter · PO. BOX 370 · Hicksville · NY · 11802