It’s common knowledge that there’s a massive shortfall of tech talent, but research is showing that the current demand is once-in-a-decade in size.
A recent survey of CIOs conducted by KPMG and Harvey Nash found that the tech skills gap is the highest it’s been since 2008. Surveying more than 3,000 CIOs, the survey also found 65 percent of respondents saying the inability to hire tech talent is hurting the industry, a six-point jump from last year’s survey. Professionals with abilities in data analytics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are in particularly high demand, the survey said.
The report singled out data analyst as one job that’s been particularly difficult to fill for respondent CIOs. Some organizations are launching special initiatives to connect with qualified analytics professionals. For example, Microsoft just recently announced an online educational program for analytics that can lead to a college degree.
Cloud computing is one more area of major IT investment and subsequent demand for talent. A recent survey from Dell also mentioned cloud computing as a major growth/ demand area, with respondents saying it is a big tech trend right now.
Although there is a severe lack of cybersecurity talent, the Department of Homeland Security recently received the go-ahead to hire 1,000 security experts. Furthermore, the FBI recently paid hackers more than $1 million to access the iPhone of the suspect from the San Bernardino shooting.
IT project managers and business analysts were also indicated as high-demand roles in the KPMG/ Harvey Nash survey of CIOs. After a period of sagging demand, those with IT architecture skills are now seeing a greater need for their services.
With all that being said, the tech skills gap is bigger than any single skill set or role. It’s a wide-ranging need for people who code, whether it’s for mobile apps or web design. Clearly, tech job seekers are in particularly high demand right now. Although, the situation is subject to change.
Take Advantage Now!
The extremely high demand for tech professionals isn’t a permanent state of affairs, as companies are getting creative in their efforts to address the talent shortage.
Some organizations are asking their CIO and technology department to look at the automation of tech jobs. Outsourcing is another possibility for businesses looking to address an internal talent shortage. The report said the greatest reason that technology companies outsource is to obtain access to technical abilities not available in-house. In the survey, 45 percent of CIO respondents said they do outsource to gain abilities, while 35 percent claimed their outsourcing strategy is targeted at cutting costs.
Given these approaches, tech professionals need to take advantage of their position now. While demand for tech talent will be high for the foreseeable future, the once-a-decade leverage that tech professionals are now enjoying may not last.
Let Us Help You Take Advantage of This Labor Market
At SMCI, we’ve helped tech professionals take advantage of all kind of job market situations. If you are looking to take advantage of the current one, please contact us today to find out how we can help.
