NTT DATA joins hands with Burapha University to produce COBOL programmers to the increasingly demanding market

Bangkok – 28th June 2022, NTT DATA (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of NTT DATA Corporation and a global digital business and IT service leader, has signed a cooperation agreement with Burapha University to deliver NTT DATA Critical Resource Preparation Project to create more high-quality IT personnel with COBOL expertise for the job market. There is a shortage of COBOL programmers, although the market's demand is high. At present, 70% of large enterprises still run on COBOL, especially in key industries such as finance and banking, insurance, funds, hotels as well as hospitals. The number of COBOL programmers is however declining. People with the expertise of COBOL, globally, have an average age of 55, and just 30% of universities worldwide offer courses on COBOL. Thus, NTT DATA is committed to producing and developing COBOL professionals and other technological innovation talents that are much needed now and in the future.

Mr. Kotaro Oshio, Director of Operations, NTT DATA (Thailand) Co., Ltd. was the company representative who signed a cooperation agreement with Burapha University to Implement the NTT DATA Critical Resource Preparation Program. The program aims to jointly cater to qualified quality IT professionals for the job market, who will become an important force in the development of Thailand's financial industry. The program collaborates with IBM Thailand Co., Ltd. under the IBM Academic Initiative to develop knowledge and skills related to COBOL Programming, Mainframe and Hybrid Cloud systems by providing courses, training and forums where the faculty staff can exchange ideas throughout the semester. In addition, students will be offered free cloud credits to experience the systems used in real-world business.

NTT DATA will support teachers both in terms of answering technical questions and other COBOL-related knowledge to ensure that students reach their full potential when they complete the course. Students who participate in the program will have the opportunity to work with NTT DATA during their internships, and upon graduation.

A shortage of COBOL programmers poses a pressing global challenge. Using COBOL for Mainframe’s data processing is still a highly stable and efficient option. According to the Tech Channel, 70% of large enterprises and 45 out of 50 of the world's leading banks use COBOL on their systems. Every time an ATM card performs a transaction, the central system will run on COBOL 95% of the time.

Associate Professor Dr. Watcharin Kasalak, President of Burapha University saidThis cooperation marks the synergies between one of the country’s leading higher education institutions with a world-class technology company. Together, they promote and support the development of quality IT professionals, especially those with COBOL expertise for domestic and international job markets. At present, there is a global shortage of COBOL programmers. COBOL experts worldwide have an average age of 55. Yet, only 30% of universities worldwide that are offering courses on COBOL in their curriculums. Perceiving it as an outdated technology, most universities in Thailand do not offer courses on COBOL or offer them only as an elective subject, even though it is still a very relevant technology, especially in the finance and banking industries. Although COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) has been a high-level computing language for over 60 years, it is still very important for several mainstream industries such as finance and banking, social security, mutual funds, hotels and hospitals. These businesses run COBOL on their core processing systems, which are necessary to support a high volume of data and process them accurately and fast. The necessity of processing transactions for each business on the Mainframe means a continuing increase in demand for COBOL Programmers. Still, the number of COBOL Programmers are declining.

About NTT Data (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

NTT Data (Thailand) Co., Ltd. or NTT DATA (Thailand) is a subsidiary of NTT DATA Corporation Co., Ltd., a global digital business and IT service leader, originally from Japan. NTT DATA has expertise in managing data networks and telecommunications at the forefront with over 139,500 employees worldwide, operating in more than 50 countries with experience serving leading companies, especially Japanese companies that have established in various countries around the world. In 2020, NTT DATA was ranked 6th in the global IT service provider market from Gartner. NTT DATA (Thailand) started as a technology system provider in payment solutions for debit and credit cards, including web-based and mobile applications, and has been trusted to serve financial sectors in the payment system for a long time. From such expertise, the company has been developed to serve customers in various industries, such as manufacturing, telecommunication, energy, and retail. As a result, NTT DATA (Thailand) has become an IT consulting company, including the design and development of technology solutions that are recognized with world-class standards, flexible to work as well as paying attention to quality and services for the best benefit of customers. For more information, visit the website https://www.nttdata.com/th/en and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nttdatathai.

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