The skill areas most susceptible to offshoring are software development, programming and call center and technical support, according to a report by Diversiti, the recruitment arm of Accenture, which was released Tuesday.

Diversiti managing director, Deborah Howard, said employers involved in offshoring need to play their part by ensuring staff are given opportunities to diversify skill sets and remain relevant in the market.

"The jobs market locally is strong, but people in affected areas will need to concentrate their training and development elsewhere to remain competitive," she said.

When asked to nominate their most pressing IT staffing challenges over the next 12 months, 365 respondents to the survey of some 3000 IT employment decision makers cited retaining talent (69 percent), recruiting the right skill set (63 percent) and a shortage of candidates (61 percent).

Howard said a review of current sourcing strategies and training programs is needed to address concerns expressed about recruiting the right skill set and retaining talent.