According to recent research, IT staff with dual business and IT strategy skills are in high demand for 57% of European businesses. Research into the European skills demographic has revealed that 75% also struggle to recruit IT security experts, while 70% have difficulty locating good systems integrators.
By contrast, network management and helpdesk/trouble-shooting skills are a more common currency. Only 55% and 45% of IT directors struggle to locate staff for these disciplines.
Overall, recruiting IT staff seems to be getting slightly easier - 58% of respondents say that the IT skills shortage is now over, compared to 52% last year.
Russell Flower, director of managed services at Synstar, which commissioned the research, comments:
ìFor over a third (36%) of IT directors questioned, IT strategy is the favourite part of their job. Only 7% say that desktop support and maintenance is the part of the job that they most enjoy. But, all too frequently, IT staff are chained to the help-desk and to network trouble-shooting, which leaves them little or no time to spend on increasing their skills base. Outsourcing these operational tasks to a managed services provider could give them the space they need to gain more experience in other areas. This will also allow them to focus on strategy and increase their contribution and value to the business.î
The research questioned 700 IT decision makers in organisations with over 200 employees across Europe. Synstar, which commissioned the research, provides managed IT services and business availability to a variety of organisations Europe-wide.
To discuss the findings, please contact Russell Flower, director of Managed Services at Synstar on 01604 232223.
European businesses seek IT strategy skills
According to recent research, IT staff with dual business and IT strategy skills are in high demand for 57% of European businesses
