Report on Mapping Job Requirements

from Adverts to Course Content

Dr Ambikesh Jayal, Course Leader for BSc Computing

Version: 1, 13 Nov 2014

Status: Draft report, work in progress

Introduction
To ensure that the course content is job focused and meets employer’s needs, a study is being
carried out to find the technical and non-technical skills being sought after by, both local and
national, employers. This study is using the job advertisements by employers as a primary source.
These skills from job advertisements will then be mapped onto the course content and changes will
be suggested to the course map if necessary. The results of this review will be made available to all
staff and students. Students will benefit from this review not only because it will give them
confidence in the course but also because they will be able to do better in job interviews. At the end
of this review process setting up of an industry panel will be explored. In addition, employers will be
invited to act as an advisory panel for the course. Help will be sought from the Growth Hub to
establish this important forum.

Results
The job adverts included in this study have been provided in Appendix. These included GCHQ
Software Cyber Engineers and Developers, Renishaw Plc Graduate Software Engineers, GE Capital
Software Engineer Job, Google YouTube Software Engineer (Entry Level), Software Engineer UCAS,
Thomson Reuters, 7 Layer Solutions Limited, ABB Ltd, Gordon Associates (Cheltenham-based
software house), OpenGl.

We cover most of the skills being asked in job adverts which is great. However we could do more in
Low level programming, Using Linux and Unix Platform and Customer relationship management
(CRM). Also the brief description and indicative syllabus in the module descriptors should use try to
use terminology similar to the ones being used by job adverts.

S.no Skill Speficic/Comment Covered

High level programming Java, C, C++, Visual Studio
1 Languages C#,.NET,C#,VB, PHP, Matlab Yes
Relational databases, Oracle, SQL
Server, SQL Server 2008 or Oracle
2 Databases 10g/11g Yes
develop for embedded devices and tiny basic assembly
amounts of RAM, Real-Time embedded covered in
3 Low level programming operating systems CT4010

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 XHTML, JavaScript, CSS, XML and
4 Web Technologies XSL technologies Yes (CT4009)
Appropriate knowledge of cross-
browser and cross-platform web
5 Web Technologies development Yes
Knowledge of DO-178b (document
dealing with the safety of software used
6 Software Quality in certain airborne systems) Yes CT6005 Not
Experience in distributed computing,
information retrieval, data mining and
7 Big Data Technologies machine learning. Yes
8 Software Design Knowledge of model based design No
Yes (in CT4010),
could use these
platforms in other
9 Linux and Unix Platform modules as well
Problem solving and analytical
10 abilities Yes
Networking protocols and
11 topologies Yes
V Model and Agile methodologies,
sequential (Waterfall, V-Model) or
12 Software development lifecycle iterative (Agile, Unified Process) style Yes CT6005
13 Mobile application development Java, Android Yes
Customer relationship
14 management (CRM) Microsoft Dynamics CRM No
15 SQL Server Reporting Services No?
16 Project management knowledge Yes
Using analysis and design skills to be
able to convert requirements specified
at either a business or technical level
17 Requirements gathering into a successful implementation. Yes
Develop robust and thoroughly
18 tested code Yes
Problem solving and analytical
19 abilities Non-technical Yes
The ability to interact with clients
20 in a professional manner Non-technical Yes
21 Ability to work on own initiative Non-technical Yes
Be disciplined and motivated, with
an ability to work under pressure,
to satisfy internal/external
demands and meet agreed
22 deadlines. Non-technical Yes

Appendix: Job Adverts

Job adverts of following companies have been included in this study.

1. GCHQ Software Cyber Engineers and Developers

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http://www.gchq.gov.uk/careers/Pages/Software-Cyber-Engineers-and-Developers.aspx

2. Renishaw Plc Graduate Software Engineers

http://www.renishaw.com/en/graduate-software-engineer--18699

3. GE Capital Cheltenham Software Engineer Job

http://jobs.gecareers.com/job/Cheltenham-Software-Engineer-Job/66454100/

4. Google YouTube Software Engineer (Entry Level)

https://www.google.com/about/careers/search#!t=jo&jid=47077&

5. Software Engineer UCAS

http://www.ucas.com/vacancies/software-engineer-0

6. GE Early Career Programme: Information Technology Leadership Programme (ITLP), United

Kingdom

http://www.ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/information-technology-leadership-
program/united-kingdom

Job Adverts supplied by Placement Team

7. Thomson Reuters

8. 7 Layer Solutions Limited

9. ABB Ltd

10. Gordon Associates (Cheltenham-based software house)

11. OpenGl

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