IT firms in the UK are finding it easier to fill vacancies because of the
continuing economic downturn.
Silicon.com’s fourth annual skills survey reveals that the proportion of UK
businesses unable to fill IT posts has fallen to 17 per cent, from 39 per cent
last year.
However, the study also finds that 54.6 per cent of UK IT companies are
making staff cutbacks because of the business climate.
The report shows that project management and leadership roles are in more
demand than specific IT skills, with 36 per cent of firms reporting problems
filling project management roles. More than a third have difficulty recruiting
for leadership posts.
Tony Hallett, analysis and reports editor at silicon.com, said:
"Although the majority of respondents still think there is a skills
shortage, the findings show that the skills crisis is really beginning to
thaw."
Silicon.com’s survey of 8,000 IT professionals across the UK, France and
Germany also reveals that UK IT professionals earn more and work longer hours
than their counterparts in France and Germany.
In all, 13.9 per cent of UK respondents earn more than £70,000 a year, and
3.7 per cent have salaries of at least £110,000. This compares to IT
professionals in France where just 4.6 per cent earn more than £70,000 and 1.5
per cent have salaries above £110,000. In Germany the proportion of respondents
earning more than these amounts are 5.1 and 1.3 per cent respectively.
Hallett said: "Employers do seem to get their pound of flesh in the UK
market, with 15.5 per cent of IT professionals working 50 hours a week or
more."
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www.silicon.com/skillssurvey2002
By Quentin Reade
