Offshoring: IT staff should stop moaning and skill up

UK IT workers need more rounded business skills to survive the offshore outsourcing trend that will see at least 12 per cent of UK IT jobs migrate overseas by 2010, according to a new study by the British Computer Society (BCS).

But the BCS working party on offshoring, which produced the report, Offshoring: A challenge or opportunity for British IT professionals?, claims the growing trend to offshore IT skills overseas should not just be viewed as a threat by UK IT pros.

While many low-end IT jobs will migrate to low-cost offshore bases where wages are much lower, the BCS claims there will be better opportunities for those IT pros with a more rounded skills profile that includes business analysis.

BCS working party chair Elizabeth Sparrow said the first step is for the UK IT profession to look in the mirror and critically review its performance in comparison to countries such as India, which benchmarks itself against internationally recognised standards such as the Capability Maturity Model (CMM).

"Offshoring provides an opportunity to source IT services at low cost. At the same time it is of great concern to many members. While some fears may prove to be unfounded, we believe that it is crucial that we take action now to develop a strong IT profession that meets future business needs and contributes to the well-being of the UK economy," she said in the report.

BCS CEO David Clarke said it is time for a new career model for IT pros that helps evolve their skills beyond a purely technical environment.

"The challenge for British professionals now is to gear up for the rapid globalisation of the IT services industry that is well underway," he said in a statement. "Traditional IT skills such as software development have become globally ubiquitous and a narrow focus on technical skills and their application will not help tomorrow’s professionals. But all too often, IT staff can underestimate their business knowledge and expertise too."