The State of Philippine Programming

TalentJoey Gurango

Managing DirectorGURANGO Software Corporation

PROXOR Philippines

Backgrounder• Joey’s been in PH software development business since 1991.• Received 15,000+ applications for entry-level programmers.• Conducted 1,200+ evaluations of entry-level programmers.• Hired 250+ entry-level programmers.• Applicant-to-evaluate-to-hire ratio is 25:5:1.• To hire 1 entry-level programmer, we must evaluate 5!

• Time-consuming (2 to 3 hours)• Expensive (senior developer’s time)

• Wouldn’t it be great if the ratio were 5:3:1?

“The Holy Grail” ratio >>> 5:3:1

• 5 entry-level Applicants = 3 Evaluations = 1 Hired• This ratio is only possible if all applicants are >= average• The quantity & quality of entry-level programmers in our

organization determines:• volume of work that can be accomplished• long-term viability of our business

• This presentation will be about the quantity & quality of entry-level programmers in the Philippines

What has Joey been up to in the last 12 months?

Stalk me on FB @JoeyGurango

Gurango Software Corporation

Last month, we turned 13 years old!

LaunchPad Program

Conducting a Landmark Study to Assess our Entry-level Programming Talent October 2015 thru September 2016An presentation of the initial results of the study

The Primary Source of Entry-Level Programming TalentAcademic Institutions offering COLLEGE DEGREES in Computer Science, Information Technology, and Information Systems

Critical Issues Impacting QUANTITY• Enrollments in BS.CS and BS.IT programs have been declining

since SY2005 (an 11 year trend).• K-12 program has reduced enrollments for SY2015 and SY2016.

Enrollments will not rebound until SY2018.• 90% reduction in BS.CS and BS.IT graduates for the years 2019,

2020, and 2021.• Where will our entry-level programmers come from during the

years 2019, 2020, and 2021?

• What is the QUALITY of this declining talent pool of entry-level programmers?

Landmark Study:To Assess the Quality of Filipino Entry-Level ProgrammersBased on PROXOR authentic examinations

Assessment Tool used for this Study• PROXOR authentic examinations were developed at the

Computer Science Dept. of the Carnegie Mellon University.• Funded by the World Bank for deployment in Kenya, Africa.• Measures actual programming SKILLS, not just KNOWLEDGE.• Examinee must solve problems by coding, debugging, and compiling in an IDE

• Automated code validation using an AI-based engine (very scalable).• Vendor-neutral and language-agnostic.• Can RATE examinees consistently, reliably, and affordably (₱5,500/exam)

What is a PROXOR rating?

Landmark Study:The Participating Schools

Inside NCR (10 schools)• STI College - Cubao• Technological Institute of the

Philippines (TIP)• Technological University of the

Philippines (TUP) – Manila • University of Santo Tomas (UST)• University of the East – Caloocan

• Asia Pacific College• Mapua Institute of Technology• Polytechnic University of the

Philippines (PUP)• San Sebastian College – Recoletos

de Manila• Southville International School

Outside NCR (18 schools)• AMA Computer College• Bago City College • Binalbagan Catholic College • C. Hilado Memorial State College – Alijis • Cebu Institute of Technology Univ.• Kabankalan Catholic College • La Consolacion College – Bacolod• Northern Negros State College of

Science and Technology

• Southland College• STI College – Dagupan • Technological University of the

Philippines (TUP) – Visayas • University of Cebu – Banilad & Main• University of Luzon • Univ. of Negros Occidental – Recoletos • University of St. La Salle• West Negros University

Most Students Assessed

558STUDENTS ASSESSED

Gender of Students Assessed

Landmark Study:Summary of Assessment ResultsBased on PROXOR authentic examinations

Next Steps for this Landmark Study• Expand participation from 28 to 100 schools (approx. 10% of all schools)

• Assess an additional 1,500 students to insure valid representation

• Assist participating schools on curriculum improvement to address the deficiencies identified by their students’ PROXOR assessments

• Introduce PROXOR authentic examinations to PSIA member companies to synchronize their entry-level programmer assessments with the schools

• (ACCENTURE is a global PROXOR partner company)

4 Key Takeaways1. There will be a drastic reduction in the QUANTITY of BS.CS and

BS.IT graduates during the period 2019, 2020, and 2021.

2. Most female entry-level programmers are less-skilled than their male counterparts.

3. The QUALITY of entry-level programmers from BS.CS programs is several magnitudes higher than those from BS.IT programs.

4. The overall QUALITY of Filipino entry-level programmers is below global standards.

3 Calls to Action1. Evangelize programming as a career choice.

2. Encourage more female students to go into BS.CS.

3. “Adopt” a school to help improve their faculty skills and methods of instruction.

Thank you!