Computer systems form the heart of the modern business, ensuring that the information life-blood flows through the arteries from supplier to customer, chief executive to line manager and finance department to bank. Computer systems keep our aeroplanes flying, help to deliver telephone and television services to our homes and are an integral part of our education system.

This growth in the use of computers has fuelled an increase in employment opportunities for computer professionals at all levels and the surge in membership in Guernsey has resulted in the establishment of a Guernsey sub-branch of the British Computer Society. The BCS was formed in 1957 - when individual computers occupied whole buildings - and is the only Chartered Engineering Institution for Information Technology (IT). With members in over 100 countries around the world, the BCS is the leading professional and learned Society in the field of computers and information systems. In fact there are now over sixty members of the BCS in Guernsey and many more who could qualify for professional membership.

The modern computer professional may specialise in one of a number of diverse fields, which see their parallels in other walks of life: an architect - designing information systems to suit business needs, an engineer - building the designs in software and hardware, a technician - ensuring that systems remain operational and that the information is kept secure, an auditor - ensuring that systems are of high quality and comply with regulations, a project manager - ensuring that systems arrive on time and to specification, or a teacher - training users to get the most out of their systems.

Formal training and education are essential for the more senior positions in these fields and as IT systems become ever more crucial to business success, employers are demanding that their IT staff reinforce their training and experience with universally recognised professional qualifications, such as MBCS. This professional qualification ranks along side similar qualifications awarded by other chartered bodies and provides independent assurance of skill and experience.

As the first Chairman of the Guernsey BCS I am keen to encourage members from all of these fields - and interested computer users - to meet and develop their professionalism by promoting the sharing of knowledge and experience. The Guernsey society is administratively a sub branch of the long-established Hampshire branch.

In the invitation to our inaugural meeting, committee member Catherine Taylor stated: "The aims of the Guernsey sub-branch are to provide a local organisation for members of the BCS to regularly meet and discuss both local and general IT issues and to promote the IT profession within the Bailiwick."

The Guernsey Committee is planning a stimulating series of meetings for 2003/4. It is planned that meetings will normally be held every other month 6.30pm at the Guernsey Training agency. Meetings are free and open to all, whether members of the BCS or not.

So when you walk down the High Street and see a smartly dressed person carrying a briefcase or laptop and conversing on their mobile phone, they may not be a banker, an accountant or an advocate - they are just as likely to be a computer professional.