Demand for IT staff starting to slow down

Demand for IT staff fell for the first time in 18 months during the first quarter of 2005

Demand for IT staff fell for the first time in 18 months during the first quarter of 2005, according to research from e-skills UK, the industry body for IT, telecommunications and contact centre employers.

Following five quarters of demand growth, the number of advertisements for IT staff fell by five per cent, while the number of vacancies registered with Jobcentre Plus also dropped significantly, said e-skills’ Quarterly Review of the IT Labour Market.

However, employers were still finding certain posts difficult to fill, such as systems developers, programmers and technical support staff. The report also noted an increase in demand for skills in specialist sectors.

Ev Milker, marketing and PR manager at VAR LinuxIT, said: “The demand for Linux skills is growing, but many firms find it difficult to secure human resources necessary to handle Linux development and installation.

“We are also finding that the Linux skills shortages don’t just affect a few industries. We see the problem manifest across all vertical markets, from education and government institutions to finance and manufacturing.”

Alex Symon, head of talent management and recruitment at Atos Origin, said: “We have been recruiting aggressively this year but are struggling to get the quality candidates we require.”

Nick Kalisperas, director of trade body Intellect, added: “We’re in an economic period of relative demand for skills. The industry should be doing more to retain the experienced staff it has and age should not be a barrier.”