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Prepare for ‘acute’ ICT skills shortage

Prepare for ‘acute’ ICT skills shortage

Rising demand for business analysts indicate uptick in projects kept on hold during the downturn.

Demand for long-term ICT contractor roles remain subdued, though the increase in short-term assignments and growing demand for business analysts suggest the ICT job market is picking up, reports Manpower Professional. Matt Love-Smith, business manager of the Christchurch-based company, says there is more demand for business analysts who focus on research and requirements gathering at the start of a project.

“This tells us that the next step should be an uptick in the number of projects actually kicking off, so we can expect more demand in coming months,” he says in a press statement.

Other in-demand roles are for C#.NET developers and SQL developers, says Manpower.

Chris Riley, general manager of Manpower NZ, points out the broader ICT sector is still facing a skills shortage.

Manpower data reveals that even at the height of the recession, 60 percent of IT employers were finding it hard to source ICT employees.

With the economy on the rise, he says the skills shortage is likely to become more acute.

He says this country’s competitive strengths are in creative technical innovations and the ability to rapidly adapt within a low-cost structure. But its weakness lies in a shortage of people, as skilled professionals leave for overseas. “It takes time and investment to develop new talent.”

Employers need to focus on having a compelling proposition to attract employees and a positive culture and leadership team to retain them, he says. "They need to continually invest in nurturing new talent, to create a pipeline for the future.”

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Tags skills shortageeconomic crisis

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