Meanwhile, the focus and enthusiasm over third platform investments will lead to critical shortages in appropriate qualified IT staff, says IDC.
The shortages of local expertise on third platform technologies will drive the expansion of IT service providers, whose skills will be in high demand and priced accordingly.
IDC estimates that half of the skills will come from these vendors and service providers, about a quarter from current IT employees, and the remaining quarter will be sourced from new entrants to the workforce, from tertiary graduates.
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It is this 25 per cent quota that employers are already struggling to fill, particularly with respect to third platform technologies and the business outcomes approach to ICT delivery.
The report notes government efforts in this area, in particular the announcement by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce about plans to spend NZ$28 million over four years on three ICT graduate schools (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch) to help address high-level ICT skills shortages.
There needs to be more focus on ICT training across the entire education ecosystem, particularly at the grass roots level.
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IDC says this idea is good in principle but this program will only address the very tip of the iceberg.
IDC says one program can include education providers working with ICT providers to get insights into emerging areas of skills demand, which will help develop an “agile and effective” curriculum.
IDC discussions with vendors and CIOs have shown that many believe the skills gap problem is not due to the need for more post graduates. Instead there needs to be more focus on ICT training across the entire education ecosystem, particularly at the grass roots level where students first start to imagine a career in ICT.
For example, secondary school students must be inspired to seek an ICT career.
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IDC says ICT professionals in other countries take part in government sponsored programs that involve visiting schools, engaging with the students, working with schools and sharing their experience to address the issue of decreasing university enrolment in careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), particularly in North America.
Send news tips and comments to divina_paredes@idg.co.nz
Follow Divina Paredes on Twitter: @divinap
Follow CIO New Zealand on Twitter:@cio_nz
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