SAP skills demand big money

IT managers could be forced to pay higher-than-expected for enterprise resource planning (ERP) skills.

Contractor rates are being forced up by an unexpected boom in demand for SAP-trained consultants.

SAP consultants with between three to six years' experience stand to earn from £500 to £750 a day, says Tim Chamberlain, manager of the ERP/CRM (customer relationship management) division of recruitment specialist Elan Computing.

"SAP is leading the demand, fuelled by a steady flow of new projects and upgrades to existing ERP systems," says Chamberlain.

The release of new ERP modules such as human resources and datawarehousing, alongside demand for security experts, is prompting growth.

Other popular ERP skills, particularly in PeopleSoft's human resources modules and Oracle, are also benefiting from the demand, Chamberlain adds.

The rates for CRM contractors can vary between £450 and £950 a day, says Elan. Permanent staff command between £40,000 and £70,000 a year.

"Many people are still unsure about which CRM package they are going to implement, so companies will often hire contractors for scoping projects," said Chamberlain. Meanwhile, attempts by recruitment agencies to lure candidates on board with add-on services are failing.

Also published in Computing