IT
workers should be selected for their communications skills rather than their
technical prowess, according to joint research by Computer Weekly and IT
recruiters DP Connect.
The
report challenges how IT professionals are currently trained. It shows that 97
percent of IT professionals believe that communications skills are essential but
few employers are developing these skills.
Jan
Stevens, director of corporate services at DP Connect and survey author, said,
“Employers would benefit from more flexibility when it comes to who they
recruit and why.
“They
would be better off if bringing in promising raw talent with good
communications skills either from other department or from outside the company
and training them in IT skills themselves.
“Not
only would this improve inter-departmental communication but it would also
build up a sense of company loyalty and commitment to the employer.”
The
report also shows that over 60 percent of female workers within the sector feel
that it is dominated by men and that this acts as a deterrent to women entering
the profession.
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The
survey, which was carried out in conjunction with IT recruitment specialists DP
Connect, asked 2000 technical staff their opinions on 20 fundamental issues
concerning their lives and work.
By
Robert De La Poer
