IT security budgets immune from downturn

IT security professionals believe their sector is thriving despite downturn, according to Acumin Consulting

Most IT security professionals have seen their budgets shielded through the downturn and are confident their employers are investing in their skills, according to a poll by Acumin Consulting.

Nearly two thirds (62 per cent) of those surveyed by the recruitment services firm in April said they had not been affected by budget cuts, while just 23 per cent felt they would be affected by cuts over the next year.

Meanwhile, 74 per cent said their employers pay for external certifications and/or provide in-house training. Acumin took this as evidence that they are prepared to invest in IT skills.

A fifth of respondents described their current post as their ideal job, indicating that job satisfaction in the sector is relatively high.

Acumin claimed the findings reflect the fact that new privacy laws, PCI compliance rules and high-profile data hacks are making IT security a priority spending area.

Chris Batten, managing director of Acumin Consulting, said: “According to the Office for National Statistics, UK unemployment rose earlier this year to 2.53 million, the highest since 1994. The past quarter has seen improvements, with unemployment levels falling to 2.46 million – indicating that the economy is beginning to recover. It is interesting to see that our data indicates that sectors such as IT security are recovering quickly despite the adverse economic conditions."