Mind the gap! Viewpoint careers advice blog

Mind the gap! The advent of disruptive technologies such as the cloud, social media and big data has meant that IT roles have had to evolve rapidly to deliver the skills and insight today’s businesses need. In the CBI’s response to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills report into skills shortages, Neil Carberry, Director of Employment and Skills, commented: “The flip side of faster growth is an escalating skills crisis. While this isn’t surprising, it makes it all the more urgent to close the skills gaps in science, technology, engineering and maths to support the recovery.” Industry experts agree. Steve Holliday, CEO, National Grid Group Plc, says: “In the US and the UK, the statistics on the number of kids doing science, technology, engineering and maths show that we’re not creating enough people with the necessary skills today to fuel the industry in the future. “So, an awful lot of work has to be done by companies like ours to ensure understanding of the jobs and rewards that are there, and to keep people studying subjects they view as harder.” Can we code? Where once, basic IT skills were enough for all but specialised technology businesses, today, dedicated staff in key IT fields such as cloud computing and data analytics form the lynchpin within many organisations developing new products, services and markets. “Even if you don’t want to become a fully-fledged computer programmer or work in IT, the world of code is becoming more and more part of our daily life at work.” said Maureen Lynch, Director at Hays Ireland. According to new research from Riverbed, on average, 25 per cent of IT budgets are now devoted to deploying new technologies or innovations, in particular cloud computing (invested in by 59 per cent of businesses), social media (45 per cent) and mobile applications development (44 per cent). Looking back just a decade illustrates the massive changes that have taken place within IT, and explains why IT specialists are in short supply. Adam Thilthorpe, Director of Professionalism, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says simply: “Demand for IT skills today is based more on the ability to apply and exploit technology in the business than on pure technical implementation.” Traditional IT roles still exist, but they have been joined by a plethora of new experts including social media managers, user experience designers, data scientists, business intelligence analysts and, increasingly, specialists in mobile digital technologies. Ian Brinkley, a Chief Economist at The Work Foundation adds: “The nature of modern, knowledge-based economies means that demand for IT-related skills can only go in one direction â€" upwards.” And, he says, this global phenomenon rests on the fast-changing and unpredictable nature of new technologies, “increasing volatility and making it hard to keep demand and supply in balance”. So, we must ask ourselves, what can be done? Sorting out skills One approach is to restructure the way digital skills are arranged in the organisation. Thilthorpe says: “We are seeing some companies looking at how they can employ people very differently; they’re relying more on blended teams, moving to a variable talent pool, managing average workload and workforce levels in IT more closely and leveraging external subject matter experts.” Clearly, businesses need to develop a deep understanding of the technologies that are driving their businesses to make the most of the recovery. Tomorrow’s IT skills are developing today. Businesses that can understand the rapidly evolving technology environment will be able to ensure they have the skills needed to take advantage of the digital future. As we noted in our most recent Global Skills Index: “In Europe and North America there are finally signs that the worst might be behind us. Recent data from the UK suggests that a sustained recovery is under way.” With the global economy appearing to enter a more stable and positive phase, now is the time to equip your organisation with the digital skills to take advantage. Engage with fellow information technology professionals across the globe and stay up to date with the latest news, by joining our LinkedIn group. Join the conversation