By Steve Ranger, 7 November 2006 11:45
NEWS
Pay rates for IT workers are skyrocketing at five times the national average as demand for techies outstrips supply.
As a result nearly half (49 per cent) of all IT workers are now either seriously looking for a new job, or open to opportunities.
That's compared to a quarter (24 per cent) this time last year, according to a survey of 6,600 IT workers by the SkillsMarket/ATSCo.
Pay for IT workers is rising at a rate of 18 per cent per year - nearly five times the national average earnings growth which stands at 3.7 per cent. The average wage for a techie is now £34,500, it said.
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Recruitment companies trade association ATSCo said demand for IT staff is now at its highest level since the dot-com boom. Recently it was revealed that some superstar IT workers are so in demand they are hiring their own Hollywood-style agents.
Chief executive of ATSCo, Ann Swain, said that despite the availability of candidates the industry is unable to meet demand, which is driving pay growth.
While employers looking to build up their IT staff can draw from a large pool of technology workers eager for new challenges, they will also have to put in place measures to retain the employees they already have in place, she added.
Staffing companies are reporting increased demand for roles such as project managers and infrastructure architects, which ATSCo said is evidence organisations are kick-starting new IT projects.
Comments
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1. anonymous
What a load of absolute rubbish.
Pay isn't skyrocketing and there definitely isn't a shortage.
In places employers (usually led by HR's incompitence) are asking for the wrong skills or even don't know what to ask for. For example - "we need a project manager with xyz software skills" No you don't you need an excellent Project Manager used to deploying software........
this is usually why are so many projects failing!
Wake Up! the industry has thousands of available techies and deliverers whose only problem is that they are over 40!
2. anonymous
From personal experience, higher salaries has meant less content in the past few years. Paying more short term means getting less long term with regard to training and investment in new technologies to work with and learn. This in turn promotes staff turn over. Repeat ad nauseum.
Making the mistake of putting my CV on Monster last week, I now turn my phone off during the day due to the excessive phone calls.
3. Anon
Not if you work for BT!
4. anonymous
Where are all these high salary IT jobs then ?
I was an IT Manager and I am struggling to find a new position after being made redundant at the same salary I was on. Techie jobs I see, only pay between £16,000 and £20,000.