78 Information Technology Training in Developing Countries A Case Study in Jamaica Ken Abemethy, Paula Gabbert and Han Reichgelt Computer Science DeJXlrtment, Purman University, Greenvi/le, SC. USA 29613 Department ofMathematical Sciences, University ofthe West Indies, Mona, 5 Kingston, Jamaica, W.I ken.abemethy@funnan.edu Keywords: developing countries, catalyst for change, case studies, economy, vocational education Abstract It is weil known and weil documented that there is a severe shortage of information technology professionals around the world. In an approach to address this shortage, Purman University in Greenville, South Carolina and the University ofthe WestIndies in Kingston, Jamaica have developed a training program to help produce and sustain an information technology workforce in Jamaica. This paper describes the Caribbean Institute ofTechnology (CIT), a software training institute that was started in Jamaica in 1999. The institute consists of a rnain centre in Montego Bay and several satellite centres distributed across the island of Jarnaica. Thesecentres provide an intense ten- month trainingprogram for up to 100 Jarnaicans at each site every year. The paper describes the organisation of the centres, the curriculum of the program, the co-operative efforts between Purman University and the University of the West lndies, and the future direction of CIT. Although this paper describes a case study within J arnaica, such an institute might weil be duplicated in other developing countries. 1. BACKGROUND An acute shortage of information technology (IT) workers is hampering the ability of companies to reach their potential in an information-based economy. For example, a recent survey indicates that almost 20 percent of D. Watson et al. (eds.), Networking the Learner © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2002