07 May 2008
UK IT market is in danger of losing a huge portion of its workforce to overseas rivals as companies fail to evoke staff loyalty.
Almost two-thirds (66 per cent) of IT staff are looking for employment opportunities outside the UK, according to a survey of 4,967 UK professionals by recruitment firm Computer People.
In the UK, staff with Cobol skills attracted the best rates of pay, earning an annual average salary of £41,870.
Cisco skills were at the bottom of the scale, with employees earning an average of £32,320 per year.
This compares with the overall, full-time sector average of £35,160. Across the industry, the single largest pay bracket is £40,000 to £50,000, with 15 per cent of IT staff remunerated at that level.
“It’s easy to throw money at a problem, but firms must do more than offer good salaries. Employers shouldn’t look at their staff as just a skill set, they need to invest in their people and in developing their careers,” said Nick Dettmar, managing director of Computer People.
The majority of respondents (87 per cent) were willing to move to a new job if the opportunity arose, with 39 per cent actively looking and 48 per cent saying they are “keeping a lookout.”
And 27 per cent expected to move within three months.
UK firms need to make sure they are offering their employees broader incentives to stay, said Dettmar.
“The decision to change jobs is often driven by the employee’s desire to keep their skills up to date the key one being down to the pace at which the industry is moving,” he said.
And the development of the global workforce opens up opportunities outside the UK, said Dettmar.
It is little surprise that Cobol practitioners are among the highest-paid in the IT industry, given the vital nature of the systems they maintain, coupled with the relative scarcity of professionals with these skills.
Whilst many major corporations continue to rely upon Cobol systems to conduct their day-to-day tasks, professionals equipped to deal with these systems are dwindling as many approach retirement age. However, rather than embark upon risky and expensive rip and replace projects, these organisations require IT professionals equipped with the skills needed to maintain and modernise these core applications and with the acumen to convey the value of these systems in a language the business will understand.
Across decades of use, Cobol systems have shown their business value, and research such as this shows the continuing need for professionals equipped to work in this space. For organisations worldwide that rely on such expertise, it is vital this need is recognised.
Posted by: Arunn Ramadoss 08 May 2008
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