Multivariate Analysis when Choosing the First Programming Language Studied in Universities

Since the key point of training IT specialists is based on the labor market demands and the compliance of the employer's requirements with the knowledge and skills of future programmers acquired during the training, the authors conducted a study of the Ukrainian IT labor market. To demonstrate the distinctive features of the domestic and foreign IT markets, a comparative rating of programming languages in the labor market in Ukraine and in other countries was made. A survey of IT students and experienced programmers was conducted as another factor of the study. Based on many years of the authors' teaching experience and the result of analyzing the opinions of interviewed programmers, the requirements for the first programming language studied in universities by IT-students were determined. According to these requirements, a system of numerical evaluation of practical criteria for the first language programming selection among the most demanded ones was worked out. A total rating for each language was created in order to identify the most suitable programming language for teaching the beginners.