Yet, the enthusiasm and capability to learn new technology is also lacking among the local IT workforce.

"When I'm recruiting, I want to find somebody [who is] interested to find out how things work when given access to the system," said Stagg. "I've found very few people [who] have that interest and those [that do] have it are now working for me."

Older-generation computer science graduates were basically geeks, he said. Students used to play with computers all day at school and tinker more when they got home. Often they were playing on a research level, meaning they were exploring new technologies like building their own Linux boxes or setting up their own web servers. Students were thus versed in various practical skills by graduation.

"But people that I interview today say they only have Window boxes at home and use them only for playing games," he said. "I might have unreasonably high expectations, but I wish the university would encourage undergraduates to go play more on a research level."

Part of the reason that graduates are not enthusiastic about IT is because they are not attracted to developing a career in the industry, Lee from City University explained.