Aravot.am, addressing the indicators of the economic activeness as for January month published by the National Statistical Service, noted that in January of this year compare to last year a 55.9% decline was reported in the information technology (IT). This indicator does not mirror the entire snapshot of the IT industry but only one sub-branch: production of computers, electronic and optical equipment. NSS informed Aravot.am that the indicators of IT industry for this year are not yet published and it is not published on monthly base but quarterly, which will be published only in April. According to the NSS, in 2015 compared to 2014, a 14.5% growth was reported in information technology and information services.
Executive Director of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), Karen Vardanyan, in an interview with Aravot.am, told that the IT industry in our country is the sector which always registers an increase as the products of this sector are always in demand. According to Karen Vardanyan, currently, in the European Union and the United States, there are 2 million job openings in the IT industry, “Which means that more educated workers we have in this area the more job we will have. In 2018, this number will be about 3 million and in 2023, 5-6 million. In other words, the more we do investments in the intellectual abilities, the more we grow.” Vardanyan said that the growth of this industry is also due to the demand from outside, and according to him, by making investments in knowledge and education, no one will regret, “If an investment is made to prepare specialists, it will immediately come back.”
As said by the UITE Executive Director, there are some problems when we have enough specialists who are either sponsored from outside or sell their products outside, here it comes the notion of the brand of the country, in other words, how our country is perceived in the world, “We have developed a new branding in IT industry – a surprising engineering – pleasantly surprising engineering solutions that are based on creativity, quality, and especially on the adaptation of specialists. There is already a company that performs outside with this branding and this year it has increased by 4 times.”
Mr. Vardanyan said that the next problem in this industry is doing businesses. Vardanyan urged those engaged in this entrepreneurship not to lay down their hands if they face some failures in the beginning, “We need to change the culture of failure perception to understand that everything develops and changes so fast in the IT sector that there will be a few failures, but it is only a feedback, the success will definitely follow.”
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According to the Executive Director of the UITE, the other important factor for the development of this industry is the state’s participation, “Particularly, almost all state systems are mainly made by loan resources from other organizations. In other words, in addition to the fact that we are in debt, moreover, we do not grow. Next comes the military industry that does not use technological knowledge, which we had sent to them. They are not merely military but they can be used in military, they will save the lives of the soldiers, reduce costs and provide additional revenues. This is a lack of communication with the military sphere, they are reluctant to use Armenian products. Their mentality is – the Russians will help us. This is one of the obstacles that the development does not go faster.”
Note that Aravot.am has addressed this problem and in response, an official explanation was received, “We are cooperating with the Information Technology Enterprises and the ministry is responding to their serious works in line with its opportunity and the situation.” The Defense Minister said on this issue, “Those who are manipulating it have never made proactive proposals. The proposals that were practical (and there are numerous of such proposals), adequate decisions were made.” Referring to the Gyumri Techno Parch and establishing a Techno Park in Vanadzor, Vardanyan said that there are several companies already working in Gyumri, “While the one in Vanadzor will have a great impact as it has a great potential. I think that the further developments will pleasantly surprise us. We strongly need more Techno Park territories in order to help the founder of the information technology enterprise and the engineer facilitating their work.”
Nelly BABAYAN
