As the Government relaxes its work permit rules for certain skills
sectors, antipodean contractors are finding themselves in demand by
UK companies who appreciate their willingness to travel and their
'excellent reputation' as hard workers.
Careercare, an IT recruitment firm in Scotland, say its clients
have found Australian, New Zealand and South African contractors
flexible in their attitude to work locations, and more responsible,
mature and committed than their UK counterparts.
"Antipodeans show the 'get up and go' that the IT industry
needs," comments Careercare managing director, Alan Smith. "They're
enthusiastic and offer both practical skills and experience at the
same time."
"In our experience it is harder to get a guy from Edinburgh to
move to Glasgow than it is to get an Australian to work in
Inverness. These people are attracted to some of the most remote
parts of Scotland and are willing to work anywhere."
According to Smith, the agency found most UK contractors
unwilling to work away from home when it was sourcing staff for
Integriti Solutions, a Dingwall-based firm that supplies corrosion
and vibration monitoring systems. "Yet we've placed three
Australians and a South African there in the last 12 months alone,"
he remarks.
Graeme Leiper, production and technology director at Integriti
says the firm is delighted to have antipodeans on its IT team.
"Typically, they are looking for three to six months work and this
fits well with our business model as we work on a project basis.
They are free to travel and are attracted by the outdoor life, so
getting them to Dingwall is not an issue," he explains.
"They tend to be highly skilled people who have held senior
positions in their own countries, and they are not afraid of
responsibility. In comparison with UK people of the same age,
antipodeans are more responsible, more committed and more
mature."
According to Careercare marketing director, Jan Mutch, the
Scottish contractor market is "absolutely booming" at present,
partly due to the fact that many international organisations, such
as financial services firm JP Morgan, are opening offices in
Edinburgh and Glasgow. This, together with increasingly competitive
contractor rates and the new work permit rules, will make Scotland
an even more attractive work option to antipodean ITers, believes
Mutch. She adds that Java and e-commerce skills in particular are
currently in demand in Scotland.