Meanwhile, SIM plans to reach out to high school students and guidance counselors by drawing off a program created by its Dallas chapter, Collins said. "By the time [students are] in university, it's a little late to bring this issue to bear," noted Noble. "We feel we have to catch people's decision-making process a little earlier."

Some labor experts believe that some of the dire warnings of a mass baby boomer exodus have been exaggerated, since some older workers are expected to extend their careers due to financial or other reasons. As such, a sizeable percentage of retirement-age IT workers may elect to become contractors -- either with their current employers or for other organizations.

But the retirement-age workers don't fully address the emerging labor gaps, said Noble. "As in any profession, you're relying on refreshing the profession with new blood, people with innovative ideas and training in new technologies. If we don't keep the flow of new people into the profession, we fail to innovate," he said.