Open Source Programs Aim To Meet Global Demand For Developers

I recently wrote that to master technology, you must master software. It is software that differentiates one device or computing experience from another. And since nearly all software today is built using open source projects and code, knowing how to collaborate and contribute to an open development community is a requirement for any developer or company regardless of industry.

Most companies today get this. They’re all at different stages in their learning curve about how to participate but they understand the need and the benefit. They’re also painfully aware of the global shortage of developers. For example, according to the 2012 Linux Jobs Report from Dice.com and The Linux Foundation, demand for Linux developer talent is at an all-time high, but 85 percent of hiring managers say finding that talent is difficult. 

Many companies are taking this issue into their own hands. Google, IBM, Intel and others are designing programs to help prepare the next generation of developers with things like IBM’s Academic Initiative and Intel’s Student Hackathons. We at The Linux Foundation are also working hard to help meet the demand for developers with our Linux Training and Scholarship programs...