Skills shortages are returning to the New Zealand IT industry this year, according to Robert Walters New Zealand IT recruitment division manager Annabelle Klap.
In a recent interview with Computerworld NZ, Klap pointed out that the shortage will, however, have some different characteristics. “In the past three years, the market has matured a lot and clients are focused on soft skills in consulting.”
“In the second quarter, we expect to see more project managers being hired, and after that, we’ll see demand for testers,” added Klap.
Additionally, this time around, and unlike what happened in 2007 and 2008, marketing professionals with web skills are in demand. This role, a mix of marketing and IT, requires staff “who are looking at the marketing side of the web, but who also have a technical understanding of it”.
In some respects, however, the shortage will be similar to the one experienced throughout 2007 and 2008. For example, as Klap mentioned to Computerworld NZ, “there’s always demand for business analysts and developers”.
The recruitment company has recently released its Global Salary Survey for 2010, according to which Wellington is experiencing an increase in pay rates in many IT skill sets, compared to 2009, especially in contracting. The same, however, cannot be said about Auckland, where little difference was found between 2009 and 2010 rates.
In the commentary notes for its “Outlook for 2010” in Auckland, the recruitment specialists mention a “pattern of slow and steady levels of recruitment” that are expected to continue throughout 2010, causing a general shortage of skilled workers in the IT sector.
