Brain drain imminent: IT recruiter

30.09.2011
A new skills index released this week suggests CIOs should ditch the 'wait-and-see' contract approach to IT recruitment in the face of increasing offshore opportunities.

The latest Candle Skills Index for Computing Professionals indicates skilled IT professionals are being lured offshore by immediate and lucrative job opportunities. The index shows that while number of skilled professionals employed in the sector in the next five years will grow by 3700, there will be a continued shortfall of 1200.

According to the index the existing shortage in IT professionals stands at about 1100 -- a figure that Candle expects to persist at the aggregate level, out of a pool of about 212,000 professionals. But it could intensify in the face of a strong Asia-Pacific market, as Australian professionals move to lucrative overseas IT functions.

Candle executive general manager, Linda Trevor, said Australian employers are increasingly hiring on a contractor rather than permanent basis or putting employment decisions on hold.

"This flow-on IT 'brain drain' is threatening an already skills short industry as job prospects and competitive remuneration packages entice Australian IT professionals overseas," she said.