BCS launches automated job description service

The British Computer Society (BCS) has continued its push to improve levels of professionalism within IT departments with the launch of a new browser-based solution designed to help IT managers create clear job descriptions for their team and identify skills shortages.

The BCS's IT Job Describer has been developed in conjunction with skills management software specialist InfoBasis, and aims to help firms quickly and easily create IT job descriptions, as well as training and development requirements for different roles based on the BCS and government-backed SFIAplus IT skills and development standard.

Malcolm Sillars, head of professional development at the BCS, said the hosted system would provide mangers with a quick and easy way of defining roles within their IT department and identifying the skills and qualifications required. He added that the job descriptions could then be used to help draw up job adverts or identify internal skills gaps and training needs. "It allows you to create a job description featuring all the qualifications, as well as technical, behavioural, and business skills required in literally five minutes," he said. "And, as anyone knows who has had to do it, drawing up a job description from a blank sheet of paper can take far longer."

Sillars added that using job descriptions based on SFIAplus standards could also help encourage consistency across the IT industry, which would make it easier for unemployed IT staff to identify the skills and qualifications they need to attain for certain roles.

Access to the new service is available from £995 for a one year licence, with prices rising based on the number of users and job descriptions required.