"A lot of CIOs I am talking to are likening the current surge and demand for resources to the days of the late 1990s when organizations could not keep up with demand.

"However, in those days there was labor to source whereas today we are literally struggling to find resources of any kind; as a result salaries are going through the roof."

Organizations affiliated with the council are also struggling to source resources including universities, the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM), the Australian Computer Society (ACS), Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA), and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Best International Director John McVicker expects record demand to continue for the rest of the year as companies gear up for a number of large IT projects nationally. "Although this heralds excellent news for the Australian IT industry, the increased demand coupled with the limited available IT talent means candidate shortages may be problematic for the IT sector," McVicker said. "The ICT labor landscape has shifted from a war for talent to a war for resources and organizations need to be prepared.

"The solution to this growing problem is three fold; create a workplace that encourages IT-skilled people to work for longer, make the IT industry more attractive to Generation Y and skilled workers from other industries by offering greater flexibility, and capitalize on overseas talent."