IT skills shortage

SiD the Turtle said:
**** If that were true it would be easy to find somewhere to work. Its the opposite. There are plenty of people snapping at the available jobs.
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That's what I've heard as well. Loads of IT jobs here in London though. My Aussie mate came here 2 weeks ago and had already 3 job offers so far. He's a C++ developer with 6 years experience.
 
There is a skills shortage, there isn't a lack of unskilled people with joke qualifications from TV adverts though.

There's an even larger experience shortage, I'll probably have to hire a new ICT technician next year and I'm absolutely dreading it. I would like someone without experience, give them a start on the ladder but the last time I helped out at an interview everyone that came was either carrying qualifications that meant nothing to me or was obscenely over qualified.

Guy we gave the job to left after 3 months for a better paid post, can't blame him as he was a graduate and the post was far, far lower than what he deserved.

so yes I think there is a skills shortage, at least the RIGHT skills but not a huge gap like that article states!
 
While it is not an immediate problem right now, there is concern that demand is increasing at a steady rate while the number of people signing up for a computer based degree is falling. Some Uni's have reported that numbers are falling by as much as 50% each year.

Specialist skills are already being paid/charged at an extortionate rate and it could mean that the "standard" skills now start going the same way in 3 years time.

Having said that, as the salaries go up again, I'm sure more people will start signing up for the computer courses again!
 
SiD the Turtle said:
Money is always a problem. Making a profit in IT is so hard these days that our salaries are a joke.
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Not really, it all the "big" consultancy houses make huge amount of cash. My company is the integration partner for one of the big firms, we charge them £500 a day and they will charge their customer £1100-1200 for the same guy.

Nice work if you can get it.
 
Im 30 and thinking about moving into this.

I know its boring I know its crap pay.....

I dont hold any qualifications.

wheres the place to start..

I know a lot of hardware junk thats probably complete irelivent.

I assume if you are good they will mould you to what they need?
 
Mr Nice said:
Not really, it all the "big" consultancy houses make huge amount of cash. My company is the integration partner for one of the big firms, we charge them £500 a day and they will charge their customer £1100-1200 for the same guy.

Nice work if you can get it.
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Ah yes that's where all our money goes, on you consultancy boys :p

We NEED consultants to win bids, and thus they get paid for it. However in supporting IT systems, in order to win the bids we have to cut our prices to the point where only if we do everything perfectly do we make a profit.
 
Efour2 said:
Im 30 and thinking about moving into this.

I know its boring I know its crap pay.....

I dont hold any qualifications.

wheres the place to start..
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To be honest, with that attitude I would give up now. I'm not being funny - it's just that: 1) Why bother being bored on what you believe is crap pay, 2) potential employers will spot your attitude a mile off!
 
If theres a skills shortage, then why dont the companies train people with the aptitude for it? Everyone started with zero experience, but I dont think the IT firms realise this a lot of the time...
 
The IT industry is always on and off.

Some people find jobs really easy, where as others struggle. It all depends on the area that you are in.
 
If IT compaines stopped asking for people with like MCSE's, CCNA's and 4000 years of experience in a similar role for the most basic job ever then there wouldn't be a shortage. It's hard to find a job to start with where i live because of this attitude by these companies.
 
One problem with the artcle is that it is only looking at people who study IT at uni.

I have a degree in Mathematical Physics and am now a developer, similarly half of the people I have worked with didn't do anything IT related as their degree.
 
A lot of the problem is that some of these jobs require experience in obscure software packages that most graduates probably haven't heard of never mind worked with them, with many jobs requiring a minimum of two years experience as well.

The universities can't afford to keep changing courses every couple of years so it's up to companies to train up any graduates they want to take on to fill the posts. The degree should show the company that the graduate is capable of doing the work if trained properly. Unfotunately many companies see this as costing too much in time and money.

They then go and offer below-average salaries and wonder why graduates don't want to do IT anymore.
 
Its mainly about experience in IT, if you dont have any then you will find it hard to get you foot in the door because everything now is a minimum of 2 years experience :(
 
In the IT industry experience is everything... I have known university grads that know less about PC's/Networking/Hardware than everyone on these forums. Just because they have a piece of paper saying they have qualified means squat!

I got the job i am in on my knowledge and experience. I have A level equivelent qualifications in various subjects but no formal qualifications in IT/Computing. I would employ someone in the same manner if you can do the job and have good knowledge and enthusiasm then you will do well.

Another thing to bear in mind is that most degree courses that have any hardware and networking moduals are almost 3 years behind the times!
 
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