EDP Education--An Acute Crisis.

A study, presented to the National Computer Conference, examined the existing methods of training highly competent and knowledgeable computer programers, analysts, and data processors. Four main sources of instruction were identified: (1) private electronic data processing (EDP) schools, (2) colleges, (3) manufacturers' schools, and (4) inhouse training within the industry. Each was considered inadequate. As a result, the people hiring (and firing) EDP staff were faced with an inadequate supply of well-qualified programers and analysts and an abundance of poorly-trained, unqualified, and inefficient personnel. This created an artificial limitation of the utility of industry computers. The study concluded that there is not one solution to the problem, which will continue in the field of business data processing. However, if sincere and conscientious steps are taken by the industry and educational institutes, the problem can be allieviated significantly. Industry stands to gain tremendously by working in partnership with colleges, universities, and private EDP schools for the of establishing guidelines and objectives for data-processing education. (WCM)