The British Computer Society now represents a profession that is at the beginning of a new evolution. Although our half centenary is, of course, a cause for celebration, today's world of IT bears little resemblance to that of 50 years ago.

Computers were bespoke systems built and operated by engineers, while the computing industry employed no more than a few thousand personnel. The impact of computing on society was still minimal, as was the public understanding of its role or purpose.

Fifty years on, well over one million people work in the UK IT sector alone, while the majority of us use computing power and employ IT skills as part of our working and leisure time, sometimes without even knowing it.

Technology has moved on from being just a useful information storage, retrieval and communications tool, to being an embedded integral part of society, often with safety-critical status. IT system failure not only disrupts lives – it can now cost lives.

That is why the role of the BCS today is to drive the development of a new IT profession, to ensure that the profession’s value to society is understood and appreciated, that its training and qualifications are relevant to the technological systems it designs, delivers and supports, and that IT is fully integrated into the business processes that it enables and supports.

In turn, the new IT profession of today deserves an up-to-date, relevant BCS. So in 2004 we launched a fresh approach to both supporting our existing members and broadening our relevance to the IT profession at large.

Following the launch of our ProfIT programme, we launched an alliance with e-Skills UK, Intellect and the NCC, a partnership that is making real inroads into developing professionalism across the board in IT.

Our chartered IT professional (CITP) status is the gold standard to which all IT professionals aspire, and is becoming one of the clear statements of high quality that will be vital for the public trust and integrity we need.

With various key organisations working to a common purpose, growing recognition of a genuine profession will also support the more effective recruitment of young people into an industry that is key to the global economy and the UK’s success in that economy.

I believe the next 50 years will be tremendously exciting for both the BCS and the IT profession.

Our accelerating membership programme, which helps to underpin our ProfIT and CITP agenda, will help ensure that the IT profession moves towards parity with other major professions and ultimately to a leadership position.

A lasting relationship

Without the BCS, you would not be reading this.

Why? Well, regardless of all the BCS has done for the IT profession in its 50-year history, setting aside its role in promoting skills development and standards, and the opportunities for networking – all of which have, in some way, contributed to you being in the IT job you now have – the reason is simple.

Without the BCS, Computing would not exist.

In the December 1972 issue of The Computer Bulletin – the in-house magazine of the fledgling 15-year old BCS – GJ Morris wrote an article titled: ‘Plus ca change, plus c’est meme chose’ (even then, clearly the BCS had an international perspective).

The story made an important announcement: This was to be the final issue of the magazine. As part of a contract signed with the Haymarket Press publishing company, BCS was to jointly launch a new publication called Computing. The aim was to produce a ‘lively and valuable magazine’, offering ‘infinitely better communications’.

And so, on 18 January 1973, Computing was sent out for the first time to BCS members. In the years since, Computing has been through plenty of changes – much like the IT industry – and now we operate entirely independently, with no commercial relationship, and new owners.

But our partnership with the BCS continues. Today, we work together on a wide range of initiatives, not least the professionalism agenda discussed in BCS chief executive David Clarke's article above.

It is remarkable to think that the BCS has been around for 50 years – more than most of the people and companies in what is still a young industry, and through five decades of unprecedented technological and social change. In this special report, we look ahead to the future of the BCS, and examine some of the issues the society and its members might face in the next 50 years.

Bryan Glick, editor, Computing