KUCHING: Demand for software test professionals is increasing around the globe, in line with the rapid growth of global demand for software testing services.
Malaysia too is starting to experience a similar phenomenon as the country continues to develop its software testing industry through the Malaysia Software Testing Hub (MSTH) initiative.
According to a press statement issued from Kuala Lumpur yesterday, being a software test professional requires specialised skills, particularly at the higher-end of the practice where strong domain knowledge also becomes an essential success factor, and being in a highly on-demand vocation, the career can be rewarding.
The Malaysian Software Testing Board (MSTB), which is spearheading the planning and implementation of the MSTH initiative, has embarked on a programme to propagate adoption of industry-developed software testing skill-set and promote software tester as a viable career among existing software professionals as well as university students in the software engineering and other information technology (IT) fields.
A Technavio Insights report, published in 2012 by United Kingdom-based Infiniti Research, had highlighted that the global outsourced software testing service market was growing rapidly and hence, there was
a growing demand for skilled labour (in the discipline).
However, there is a shortage of such skilled professionals to meet the demand. The report cited that India, for example, was expected to face a shortage of 39,000 to 41,000 skilled workers in the next few years.
According to the report, shortage of expertise has become a major challenge for IT service organisations across the globe. In addition, the current educational system does not meet the required standards and demand of the market.
It has become very important for software testing engineers to have comprehensive knowledge of the business domain and thereby have complete understanding of the clients’ businesses.
This challenge is expected to have a bigger impact on the market in the future.
In a strategic move to mitigate this, MSTB has introduced the Q-College Corp (Q-CC) programme which aims to produce industry-ready professional testers, through ‘accelerated industrial grooming’, from among suitable qualified fresh graduates and working professionals in other disciplines but are keen to develop a career in software testing and software quality assurance.
Participants of the Q-CC programme are put through a six-month skills development programme at the Q-Laboratory (Q-Lab), a world-class software testing facility established under the MSTH.
Among others, participants will be given guidance and mentorship by professional testers from the Q-Lab and be trained in industry-leading test tools, internationally-recognised test processes and relevant soft skills.
In addition, they will also go through professional certification and get the opportunity to be involved in/exposed to real test projects.
After the six-month programme, participants may receive job offers in the Q-Lab or MSTH ‘cluster’ companies, depending on individual performance and availability of suitable positions.
As part of its communications programme, MSTB is organising a series of events in major cities to promote awareness on career in software testing and the Q-CC programme.
Interviews to select Q-CC participants will be held on June 29 and 30 at the Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites.
“We want to reach out to fresh graduates as well as soon-to-graduate students – particularly those in the software engineering field of studies,” said MSTB president Mastura Abu Samah.
“We strongly encourage fresh graduates in the IT, engineering or other science and technical disciplines with a passion for software testing to come for our talk and walk-in interviews.
“This opportunity is also opened to professionals from other fields but with a sound knowledge in IT and aspirations to venture into software testing,” she said.
For further information on the road show, please contact Fara Zainuddin at 016-6206673 or 03-78752985 or e-mail to [email protected].