UK market losing skilled workforce

UK IT market is in danger of losing a huge portion of its workforce to overseas rivals as companies fail to evoke staff loyalty.

Almost two-thirds (66 per cent) of IT staff are looking for employment opportunities outside the UK, according to a survey of 4,967 UK professionals by recruitment firm Computer People.

In the UK, staff with Cobol skills attracted the best rates of pay, earning an annual average salary of £41,870.

Cisco skills were at the bottom of the scale, with employees earning an average of £32,320 per year.

This compares with the overall, full-time sector average of £35,160. Across the industry, the single largest pay bracket is £40,000 to £50,000, with 15 per cent of IT staff remunerated at that level.

“It’s easy to throw money at a problem, but firms must do more than offer good salaries. Employers shouldn’t look at their staff as just a skill set, they need to invest in their people and in developing their careers,” said Nick Dettmar, managing director of Computer People.

The majority of respondents (87 per cent) were willing to move to a new job if the opportunity arose, with 39 per cent actively looking and 48 per cent saying they are “keeping a lookout.”

And 27 per cent expected to move within three months.

UK firms need to make sure they are offering their employees broader incentives to stay, said Dettmar.

“The decision to change jobs is often driven by the employee’s desire to keep their skills up to date ­ the key one being down to the pace at which the industry is moving,” he said.

And the development of the global workforce opens up opportunities outside the UK, said Dettmar.

See also:

Female interest in IT stops at the workplace

A lack of female role models is preventing young women from making a career out of their interest in technology  06 May 2008

IT must offer jobs for the girls

The IT sector's "anorak" image is a turnoff and women are needed to plug the skills gap - Comment: Top 10 cool IT people revealed  02 May 2008

IT salaries need transparency

Two in three employees would reveal their wages in exchange for pay equality  01 May 2008

Dell axes 250 Irish jobs

The manufacturing giant will make five per cent of its Irish workforce redundant and indicates further losses across EMEA  30 Apr 2008

Your views sought on the future of IT skills

e-Skills UK launches consultation to feed into its five-year strategy  29 Apr 2008

Banking sector IT salaries remain solid

Wages are stable, but the credit crunch may have an impact later in the year  28 Apr 2008

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