There are several reasons to be cheerful in this week's
edition of Computer Weekly.
Reasons to be cheerful, part one: the results of the latest
Computer Weekly/SSL Quarterly Skills and Salary Survey reveal that
the plummeting demand for IT skills in the UK seems to have
bottomed out. At last, the recruitment climate for permanent staff
is not getting worse - and for contractors it has begun to improve
- which suggests that things should now start to get better.
Reasons to be cheerful, part two: the Computer Weekly/DP Connect
"state of the IT nation" survey of IT professionals paints a
picture of a resilient, motivated and dedicated IT workforce, proud
of the contribution it makes to UK business and optimistic about
the future.
Reasons to be cheerful, part three: this week, we celebrate the
sterling work of marine lab IT manager, Sandra Chenery, who was
picked from a host of entries to be the Computer Weekly/First
Option IT Personality of the Year. Sandra was chosen for her hard
work in keeping spirits up in a time of redundancies and for her
ambassadorial work in promoting the field of science and technology
as a potential career path to local schoolchildren.
Of course, it is not all good news. Our skills and salary survey
reveals that the government is still under the impression that an
IT skills shortage exists, and that issuing ever more work visas to
overseas workers is the solution. (It will need to start heeding
the results of surveys like these if it is to forge a sensible
policy on IT work permits.)
There is sobering news, too, in our state of the IT nation survey.
Three-quarters of respondents report that the undeserved, geeky
image of IT persists and that colleagues in other departments still
fail to grasp exactly what it is the IT department does. And one in
two concede that morale in the IT department has been dented by the
loss of colleagues through redundancy. These are difficult times
for the IT function. The larger economic downturn has sparked
brutal budgetary cuts that have forced departments to shelve
projects and lay off valued employees and contractors.
But IT chiefs returning to the office this week from their annual
summer breaks can at least rest comfortably in the knowledge that
they have the support of an inspiring and committed workforce that
is determined to demonstrate its value to UK companies. And those
unfortunate IT professionals currently seeking employment can take
heart from the fact that an upturn in the recruitment market at
last seems to be on the cards.