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By Gemma Simpson, 13 October 2006 15:30

NEWS

Four of New Zealand's top IT companies are looking to plug the country's skills gap by poaching UK talent - and they are recruiting this week.

The IT industry in New Zealand is expected to require around 35,000 additional skilled recruits over the next 10 years, according to a spokesman from the country's Department of Labour.

Not all those jobs can be filled by people from New Zealand so the UK has been targeted to help plug the gap, said the spokesman.

EDS New Zealand, IBM, Synergy and Telecom are expecting around 10,000 people to attend the 'Opportunities NZ Expo' in London this weekend in a bid to recruit IT professionals looking to make the move Down Under.

At least 300 jobs will be available at the expo.

A spokesman for UK high-tech trade association, Intellect, told silicon.com Brits are specifically being targeted because of the educational and linguist similarities between the two countries.

The reason for the shortfall in IT skills in New Zealand is down to education, the Intellect spokesman said. "It's the same reason why we experience shortages here [in the UK] - academia can struggle to keep up with business."

The spokesman added that UK workers can expect financial incentives, including relocation packages, to entice them to switch hemispheres.