Producing quality ICT staff to meet the needs of the local economy and new foreign investors, retaining IT experts in Macedonia, providing support for papers and innovations of faculty staff and students.

These are the main goals of a cooperation memorandum signed Wednesday by the Information-Communication (ICT) Chamber within the Chambers of Commerce (SSK) and private and state IT faculties in Macedonia.

Close to one thousand students enroll annually at the IT faculties in Macedonia and at least half of them graduate. Analyzes show that in addition to university graduates, the business sector needs at least another 40%.

"There is still a lack of 30 to 40% of the annual production. The IT industry grows in such a way that there is a constant lack of staff despite ongoing production," said Saso Ognenovski - chairman of the SSK's ICT Chamber.

ICT faculties generate highly qualified staff capable to address challenges related to the profession, according to him. "Unfortunately for the domestic ICT industry, many young students from these faculties find jobs in international companies beyond the borders of Macedonia. Ways to retain qualified staff in Macedonia are oftentimes discussed with the faculties," stated Ognenovski.

"In Skopje there is a lack of IT staff because local and foreign investors are focused here, however beyond Skopje there is good potential that can be used," Minister of Information Society and Administration Ivo Ivanovski said commending the moves by several IT companies, such as Seavus, Cosmic and Endava, to enlarge their capacities and hire more IT experts.

According to him, efforts must be made to upgrade faculty programs and introduce more practice in order graduating students to be solidly qualified right from the start.

The ICT Chamber signed the cooperation memo with the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FINKI), Faculty of Computer Science and Technology (MIT), Faculty for Information Communication Technologies (FON), American College, University "St.Paul the Apostle"-Ohrid, and University "Goce Delcev"-Stip.