You have a child who is about to make a decision that would dictate its quality of life for the next 40-or-so years.

This is big news, particularly for readers who are unaware they have any kids. But bear with me on this one.

Because it is time for your real, or theoretical, flesh and blood to decide what they want to be when they grow up. We have all been there, of course. I wanted to be a professional footballer, but I was rubbish.

Some children are more grounded, and make the decision that they want to work in the IT industry.

You made a similar decision yourself once, probably when anything technological seemed to lead to the land of opportunity. But that well-worn path seems to have become increasingly desolate during the past few years.

Companies are struggling with the downturn, and their risk-averse actions increasingly stifle the development of innovative IT.

Such actions do not stop executives sticking their noses into technology, with agile IT managers expected to respond quickly to line-of-business demands.

When they are not pushing their beaks into your department, executives are coming up with ideas for themselves based on consumer technologies.

And the pace of change in the information age means IT skills are often out of date before professionals are even certified, let alone employed.

The above conditions mean recommending a career in IT might appear like the equivalent of a life sentence at Her Majesty’s pleasure.

Not so, say IT professionals ­ – with 75 per cent of technology workers suggesting they would recommend a career in IT to a child, according to online recruitment specialist The IT Job Board.

Such positive souls should consider the government estimate that 60 per cent of the job titles that will one day be available to the UK’s 2008 primary school intake have yet to be created.

If that fact is not enough to blow your mind, think about how your own job could change.

By all means recommend a career as an IT professional, but today’s children are more likely to be tomorrow’s “Web 4.0 business collaboration executives”. Or something like that.

What do you think? Read Mark Samuels’ blog at: http://knowledge.computing.co.uk