East Africa / 
Ethiopia / Arba Minch
Arba Minch University
Computers are playing a major role in shaping the information or the knowledge age. They are also becoming essential in almost all activities of human life. Furthermore, with the decline in the price of computer hardware, nations, organizations and individuals that couldn't afford to have computers some years back can now afford to acquire them. However, the acquisition of the hardware is just one step towards computerization. <mark>The most important step is to be able to use them properly.</mark> This necessitates for a high number of skilled computer scientists who will develop the necessary applications for the computers, administer the computer systems and decide on computer system acquisitions of the organizations and all automation processes in general. Institutions, enterprises, organizations and companies in all sectors, public and private, are directly or indirectly being affected by the overwhelming information flow around the world. The effect goes down to small businesses and even to individuals. Every such unit must be equipped with tools that enable it to survive in such a dynamic world. Ethiopia is no exception and we must get ready to cope up with the influence of the knowledge age in our day to day life. Currently, the country has no sufficient number of competent computer professionals in the various fields of Computer Science and IT. Various Governmental and other organizations have the desire to use modern information technology. However, there is an acute shortage of technical staff. <mark>The failure of many projects in IT in terms of implementation and sustainability is largely attributed to shortage of qualified professionals.</mark>