Arunn Ramadoss, Micro Focus

Newbury, UK

Head, Academic Connections

A more static workforce will, by its very nature, acquire a narrower skills base than a more mobile one, and this in turn will serve to further increase the problem at the heart of the current crisis; that there are insufficient numbers of workers with expertise in a number of crucial areas.

Whilst most major corporations continue to rely upon their existing IT infrastructure in their day-to-day tasks, those equipped with the skills to deal with these systems are quickly approaching retirement. Most Universities have moved away from teaching essential and widely used skills like COBOL, leaving the graduates without skills to replace these retiring experts. Recent research has shown that more than three-quarters of CIOs expect the recruitment of programmers with the skills to maintain these systems to be a key focus of their IT departments over the next five years.

Shortages of professionals in this and in other key areas show that more needs to be done to ensure that IT workers are proficient in those skills most required by businesses. Organisations conducting their own training may go a short way towards achieving this. But it is vital for organisations to realise the need for proper succession planning, and working with government and vendor led initiatives to support Universities to ensure future supply of skills to meet their business requirements.

Unless adequate steps are taken between the industry, government and academic establishments to bridge these gaps today, a catastrophic skills shortage will be inevitable in future.