Technical aptitude will not be enough for IT
professionals to secure employment as firms seek more versatile
staff in the future, analyst Gartner has warned.
Gartner predicts that by 2010 IT departments in medium-sized and
large companies will be 30% smaller than today, with six out of 10
IT professionals holding business-facing roles.
To meet these requirements, employers will be looking for a new
type of employee, dubbed the “versatilist”, who will have local
knowledge, knowledge of industry processes and leadership ability
as well as technical aptitude.
Gartner predicts that IT professionals will be called upon to
show they understand the business in which they work – including
the industry, its core processes, customer base, regulatory
environment, culture and constraints.
Diane Morello, vice-president of research at Gartner, said, “If
the last decade represented the era of specialists, this decade
will mark the era of the versatilist.”
She added: “Versatilists are people whose numerous roles,
assignments and experiences are enabling them to synthesise
knowledge and context to fuel business value.
“IT professionals should decide now if they wish to remain in
the realm of pure technology or redirect themselves to new domains
of expertise and develop practical experiences in industries,
market segments and core business processes that would help them in
that domain.”