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Survey shows most sought-after skills are project management, business analysis, communication skills and bilingualismIT professionals in demandIf you're old enough to have been in the workforce back at the turn of the century, you were probably affected one way or another by the great Y2K scramble. |
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 [ 2007-06-06 ] |
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Y2K was our catchy name for what we thought might happen to computers and their networks when 1999 turned into 2000, thanks to shortcuts that had been taken in writing computer code over the previous decade or so.
Information Technology (IT) experts were at a premium as companies braced for what many feared would be the biggest glitch in history.
While the scare turned out to be overblown, it did create the biggest run on the market for IT professionals ever seen ... until now.
A recent survey by IT sourcing company CNC Global, says that the current demand for IT professionals has surpassed the Y2K demand for the first time and continues to rise.
"The demand for IT professionals has been increasing steadily over the past 36 months demonstrating a steady growth," said Terry Power, CNC Global's president.
"This continues to put pressure on the talent supply. It is also forcing companies to adopt new ways to attract the talent that they need. We're seeing this right across the country."
ALL-TIME HIGH
The survey found that numbers for Canadian companies hiring IT staff reached an all-time high during the first quarter of 2007, a 10% increase over the final quarter of 2006, suggesting that the economy is stable and more companies are turning to technology to stay competitive in today's global economy.
It also found that the rise in IT demand is true across the business spectrum -- from large blue chip companies through to medium- and small-sized enterprises.
Nationally, the survey found that the demand for full-time IT professionals grew in all regions, but not at the expense of contract positions -- they also increased, by 26% in the first quarter of 2007.
And while architects and web developers are the most sought after specific individuals, the skills most sought after, according to the survey, are project management, business analysis, communication skills and bilingualism.
"This continues the demand for business and communication skills and underlines the changing role of IT with many organizations -- from that of a cost-centre to strategic partner," the study said.
Regionally, the GTA continued to account for more than half of all IT requirements across the country. However, and not surprisingly, western demand continues to grow, especially with Alberta's booming economy.
Edmonton and Calgary, along with Vancouver and Winnipeg experienced an average 14% increase in demand for permanent IT hires, said CNC Global, the strongest first-quarter growth in permanent hiring that the west has seen in three years.
Meanwhile, Montreal saw contract requirements grow by 46%, with most of that growth coming in the area of web development.
Halifax also saw growth, with contract requirements doubling in the first quarter and permanent positions jumping by nearly 30%.
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