Other causes of the skills gap include:

Despite lack of funds for training and the perception that it doesn't pay off, training or retraining existing IT staff in areas where skills are lacking is the top way organizations try to address skills shortages.

The most popular training method IT departments use is online self-study, which 50 percent of respondents say they employ. The next most popular training method is vendor provided training, which 42 percent of respondents rely on. In-person classroom training ranked third, with about 37 percent of respondents supporting this traditional form of learning.

Nearly four-in-ten (38 percent) opt to deal with skills shortages by outsourcing work to third-party providers or contractors. Smaller firms are more likely to outsource while larger firms are more likely to invest in training, the survey notes. Slightly more than one-fourth (28 percent) try to address skills shortages by hiring new people with the desired skills.