Linux skills in short supply
Published: 28 Mar 2003 11:45 GMT
The full results of silicon.com's fifth annual skills survey are out. Below we reveal what 3,830 respondents told us between mid-February and mid-March.
In a survey of skills types in short supply, Linux is the only one to have seen any growth over the past year. More than ten percent of businesses with skill shortages now require Linux developers.
A useful barometer of the current state of the IT industry is the number of vacant positions within technology departments up and down the country.
Five years ago, there were significant holes waiting to be filled -- a sure sign of a booming market. But now?
A cursory glance reveals that there are fewer vacant positions. This may just mean that your recruitment policies have improved. Indeed, there's been a downward trend for the last four years.
Does your business have IT positions it is unable to fill? |
||||||||
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
% change (2002-03) |
||||
yes |
12.44% |
17.5% |
39% |
47% |
-29.14% |
|||
no |
75.4% |
68.1% |
+10.7% |
|||||
don't know |
12.2% |
14.4% |
-15.3% |
|||||
And now on to the specific skills needed in your organisation...
Which IT skills are in shortest supply at your workplace? |
||||||
2003 |
2002 |
% change (2002-03) |
||||
Programming languages |
26.2% |
32.0% |
-18.1% |
|||
Windows |
9.0% |
9.9% |
-9.1% |
|||
Unix |
13.7% |
15.6% |
-12.2% |
|||
Netware |
5.0% |
5.7% |
-14.0% |
|||
Linux |
13.3% |
12.0% |
+10.8% |
|||
Other OS |
3.3% |
3.9% |
-15.4% |
|||
Database |
14.8% |
16.2% |
-8.6% |
|||
ERP |
10.5% |
12.0% |
-12.5% |
|||
Networking |
11.4% |
12.7% |
-10.2% |
|||
IT management |
14.8% |
16.9% |
-12.4% |
|||
Applications development |
16.5% |
16.5% |
0% |
|||
Other |
12.3% |
13.5% |
-8.9% |
|||
Don't know |
22.1% |
20.5% |
+7.8% |
|||
The one skill to stand out here is Linux -- it's the only one to have seen an increase in demand over the past 12 months. We'll be bringing you more on this over the next few days.
Which non-IT skills are in shortest supply at your workplace? |
||||||
2003 |
2002 |
% change (2002-03) |
||||
Project Management |
34.6% |
35.7% |
-3.1% |
|||
Leadership |
30.2% |
32.3% |
-6.5% |
|||
Budget Planning |
12.0% |
13.3% |
-9.8% |
|||
Foreign languages |
22.7% |
23.8% |
-4.6% |
|||
Non-IT technical |
17.1% |
16.6% |
+3.0% |
|||
Other OS |
8.1% |
7.7% |
-5.2% |
|||
In the following tables, 1="strongly agree", 2= "agree" 3=neither "agree" nor "disagree", 4="disagree", 5="strongly disagree".
Computer science courses turn out high-quality IT Graduates |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
4.5% |
17.3% |
49.0% |
21.0% |
8.2% |
|||
2002 |
5.1% |
16.7% |
45.8% |
24.4% |
8.1% |
|||
It is important for vendor qualifications to have government backing |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
5.7% |
22.6% |
36.3% |
24.4% |
11.0% |
|||
2002 |
7.6% |
23.7% |
34.1% |
21.7% |
12.9% |
|||
Learning over the Web is becoming important in the workplace |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
15.2% |
40.5% |
26.0% |
14.2% |
4.1% |
|||
2002 |
15.4% |
40.0% |
25.1% |
15.3% |
4.2% |
|||
Hiring staff from overseas is an essential way of filling short term skill gaps |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
5.0% |
11.8% |
25.9% |
31.0% |
26.3% |
|||
2002 |
7.0% |
13.7% |
25.7% |
27.8% |
25.8% |
|||
Compared to last year, fewer respondents are saying they agree with turning to foreign IT pros, probably reflecting a slackening of demand.
IR35 has not affected the number of contractors available to complete IT projects |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
6.0% |
14.9% |
50.9% |
15.8% |
12.4% |
|||
2002 |
7.2% |
14.1% |
48.8% |
15.2% |
14.8% |
|||
There is also a growing distrust of IR35, at least in terms of it NOT affecting contractor availability.
IT managers'/directors' ideas are valued by the board |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
5.4% |
27.8% |
35.2% |
24.6% |
6.9% |
|||
2002 |
6.2% |
26.5% |
34.4% |
26.4% |
6.6% |
|||
The skills shortage has resulted in me considering using the ASP model |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
3.4% |
10.1% |
41.7% |
23.7% |
21.1% |
|||
2002 |
4.9% |
11.9% |
38.1% |
24.6% |
20.5% |
|||
Organisations need to devote more time to in-house IT training |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
32.9% |
44.4% |
14.0% |
5.8% |
2.9% |
|||
2002 |
34.4% |
42.7% |
12.5% |
6.4% |
4.0% |
|||
An increased demand for in-house training may well reflect some respondents wanting to at least "skill up" in lieu of pay rises and perks.
Job mobility is easy within the UK |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
6.1% |
30.0% |
37.3% |
19.6% |
7.0% |
|||
2002 |
8.3% |
29.8% |
36.5% |
19.2% |
6.3% |
|||
Job mobility is easy within the EU |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
3.1% |
16.4% |
47.7% |
24.2% |
8.6% |
|||
2002 |
5.1% |
17.3% |
47.4% |
22.1% |
8.1% |
|||
IT departments are making lay-offs because of the current economic slump |
||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
2003 |
23.4% |
34.1% |
25.8% |
12.4% |
4.3% |
|||
2002 |
21.1% |
33.5% |
24.0% |
15.4% |
6.0% |
|||
Which industry sector do you work in? |
||||||
2003 |
2002 |
% change (2002-03) |
||||
IT/Technology |
41.6% |
45.3% |
-8.2% |
|||
Telecoms |
8.2% |
9.2% |
-10.9% |
|||
Finance/banking |
7.2% |
7.7% |
-6.5% |
|||
Government |
4.1% |
3.8% |
+7.9% |
|||
Manufacturing |
8.5% |
6.8% |
+25% |
|||
Healthcare |
2.0% |
1.6% |
+25% |
|||
Pharmaceutical |
0.8% |
0.9% |
-11.1% |
|||
Travel/transport |
2.0% |
1.7% |
+17.6% |
|||
Education |
4.7% |
3.6% |
+30.6% |
|||
Retail |
2.4% |
2.5% |
-9.6% |
|||
Legal |
0.8% |
1.1% |
-27.3% |
|||
Media/publishing |
6.1% |
6.5% |
-6.2% |
|||
Other |
11.6% |
9.3% |
+24.7% |
|||
In broad terms, this table shows a move towards the public sector and away from private-sector-dominated areas that are likely to have seen a slower growth or to have contracted over the past year.
What is your current job title? |
||||||
2003 |
2002 |
% change (2002-03) |
||||
I work for a vendor |
3.7% |
3.3% |
+12.1% |
|||
Board director |
7.5% |
6.6% |
+13.6% |
|||
IT Director/CIO |
6.3% |
5.3% |
+18.9% |
|||
E-commerce Manager |
1.9% |
2.2% |
-13.6% |
|||
IT Manager |
20.1% |
16.8% |
+19.6% |
|||
Network Manager |
4.2% |
4.7% |
+10.6% |
|||
IT contractor |
4.0% |
5.4% |
-25.9% |
|||
IT consultant |
17.3% |
20.5% |
-15.6% |
|||
Privacy officer/security |
0.6% |
0.6% |
0% |
|||
Communications manager |
1.9% |
1.9% |
0% |
|||
Other |
30.5% |
32.6% |
-6.4% |
|||
Unemployed |
1.9% |
|||||
Our breakdown of jobs by title also clearly depends on respondent definition. However, it perhaps isn't surprising positions such as "IT consultant" and "IT contractor" have seen a notable decrease.
However, the number of you who say you are a "board director", "IT director/CIO" (clearly not mutually exclusive with the former) or an "IT manager" has risen.
Meanwhile the number of "privacy/security officers" has remained constant and "E-commerce director/manager" has seen a decline, perhaps as this position becomes more widely accepted and is integrated into other roles. Of course such integration could also be the result of cut-backs or the scrapping of some e-business projects.
How much do you earn each year? |
||||||
2003 |
2002 |
% change (2002-03) |
||||
below £25,000 |
21.7% |
22.3% |
-2.7% |
|||
£25,001-£40,000 |
35.0% |
35.0% |
0% |
|||
£40,001-£55,000 |
20.7% |
19.1% |
+8.4% |
|||
£55,001-£70,000 |
10.8% |
9.9% |
+9.1% |
|||