  Testing is an indispensable part of software development. However, a career
in software testing is reported to be unpopular among students in computer
science and related areas. This can potentially create a shortage of testers in
the software industry in the future. The question is, whether the perception
that undergraduate students have about software testing is accurate and whether
it differs from the experience reported by those who work in testing activities
in the software development industry. This investigation demonstrates that a
career in software testing is more exciting and rewarding, as reported by
professionals working in the field, than students may believe. Therefore, in
order to guarantee a workforce focused on software quality, the academy and the
software industry need to work together to better inform students about
software testing and its essential role in software development.
