Demand for tech workers grows

Industry needs new IT workers to replenish the skills pool

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) today warned that growing demand for IT workers over the past two years has led to a shortage of highly skilled temporary tech workers.

Research conducted by the REC in collaboration with KPMG found that demand for full-time and contract IT workers has grown significantly over the past two years. Only nursing staff were in greater demand for full-time roles over the same period, according to the research.

"This is very positive news, November figures show the fastest rise in permanent jobs for 28 months," said REC chief executive Kevin Green. "Employers in nearly all sectors are lifting recruitment freezes and starting to hire again. Flexibility in the UK’s labour market has proved effective in ensuring that unemployment has not reached the levels experienced by some of our international competitors."

According to the research, IT job hires plummeted from late 2007, but have since shot back up to 2006 levels. But this growth has had a big impact on the availability of tech contract workers, who came third on the list of staff in short supply, after receptionists and chefs.

Bernard Brown, partner and head of business services at KPMG, said, “Looking at the latest data one might get the impression that the recession is over. Confidence has definitely returned to the private sector and the UK jobs market looks healthier today than at any time in the last two and a half years."

However, both Green and Brown called on the government to boost skills, particularly among the young and unemployed.