What’s driving the shortage of qualified IT professionals today?

International recruitment consultancy Robert Walters predicted last year that organizations across all industries would face a major shortage of IT professionals in 2011 and as a result, would be forced to offer higher salaries to secure top talent. 2011 has seen a shortage of skilled IT pros, creating a large demand and triggering a hiring war with higher salaries and retention problems.

The reason for the shortage is that a number of businesses in various industries are migrating from traditional methods to the sophisticated digital world for less complicated and much better control over data and processes. The implementation of EHR and the emerging trend called cloud computing are two reasons for the rising need of IT professionals in the U.S. In addition, the wireless and mobile technologies, 3G and 4G technologies, which permit users to move around while staying connected to one another, are on the rise and in need of more skilled IT pros.

Lack of skilled pros in mobile applications

As per a report published in the Wall Street Journal, a short-supply of available engineers specializing in mobile apps development has become a massive log jam for companies looking to gain momentum in the development of smartphones and apps. Both large companies and fast-growing start-ups are left with no options but to increase wages, retrain software engineers, outsource work to third-party developers and set up offshore development labs to meet demand.

According to market research firm Gartner, mobile applications have boomed, and revenue from Apple’s App Store, Google’s Android Market and other stores where mobile applications are sold nearly tripled to $15 billion in 2010 and 2011 has seen the same surge. Interestingly, the number of online job listings with the keyword “iPhone” in the text nearly tripled, while the number with “Android” more than quadrupled, according to listings search engine Indeed Inc.

Because of the supply and demand problem, many companies have to retrain software engineers in the art of mobile development and this has put pressure on wages. According to a survey by tech job board Dice.com, about 31% of companies reported that average pay among mobile software designers and engineers increased at a higher rate than normal, mostly because of increasing competition for talent.

Lacked of skilled pros in newer programming languages

In addition to the mobile application shortage, the IT skill famine is also being seen among newer programming languages. According to experts, colleges rarely teach the newer programming languages like PHP, Ruby and Python, which have become more popular at young Web companies than older ones like Java. Because these new programming languages dominate most of the software used in various devices like smartphones and tablets, the lack of skilled professionals in this area makes a huge impact on the productivity of the companies associated with it.

Lack of skilled networking pros

The shortage of talent is apparent in networking as well. There is a huge demand for technical expertise to manage sophisticated networks and analysts have indicated that companies are already experiencing a lack of skilled network engineers. Without a strong effort to address this situation, the shortage will continue to increase.

Lack of skilled EHR pros

According to the American health Information Management Association (AHIMA), there is also a severe shortage of IT professionals to help implement and maintain increasingly sophisticated electronic health records over the next few years. This could be a real challenge, requiring concerted training and incentives to help create the estimated 40,000 jobs required to properly build and maintain a national electronic health records (EHR) initiative.

Lack of skilled security pros

According the CIA’s Clandestine Information Technology Office, there are only about 1,000 security specialists in the United States who have the specialized skills to operate effectively in cyberspace; however, the United States needs about 10,000 to 30,000 such individuals.

The problem is both of quantity and quality, especially when it comes to highly skilled “red teaming” professionals. There is not only a shortage of highly technically skilled people required to operate and support systems already deployed, but also an even more desperate shortage of people who can design secure systems, write safe computer code, and create the increasingly sophisticated tools needed to prevent, detect, mitigate and reconstitute from damage due to system failures and malicious acts.

Some people don’t agree with the shortage controversy

Are there really only 1,000 IT pros who are skilled enough to fill the 10,000 and 30,000 jobs available in their category? The law of supply and demand tells us that market forces would correct this problem fairly quickly: if there’s really a shortage of that many people then employers would increase what they pay IT professionals until they get enough of them. And because many people haven’t really seen a dramatic upward trend in salaries for information security jobs, they are left believing that there’s probably no real shortage of people for these jobs. So maybe what we really need is better management, not more people working in the field.

Conclusion

The quantity of jobs in the IT industry is without doubt increasing, but then the opportunities come knocking only to those who are proficient. If you’re a professional software engineer and have the proper skills, you not only get a well-paid job but you also get to enjoy quite a few rewards that come along with it. Keep working towards your goal and hopefully, you’ll have abundant opportunities.

If you like this information, you’ll really like: The Top Five Career and Training Hurdles Facing IT Professionals Today

About the author: Jerry Bair is the creator of CompleteITTraining.com, a website devoted to the IT Professional with current information on IT careers, skills, certifications and solid advice for anyone already in the field or considering an IT career. Jerry is also the author of the e-book, “Conquering the IT Exam, A Practical No Excuses Guide to Acing the IT Exam.” During his stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, Jerry worked as a Network Engineer, managed tactical and commercial network equipment, cryptographic equipment, and both server and PC equipment while deployed during 3 tours to the Middle East for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He eventually received two Certificates of Commendation and three Letters of Appreciation from the Corps. Jerry Bair spent the next 5 years working in a variety of professional IT positions, primarily as a Network Engineer and Network Security Engineer. A problem solver with a keen eye for detail, Jerry has most recently provided his expertise as Network Security Engineer for Hannaford Bros. Co. via Sapphire Technologies. He possesses several certifications of his own, including the Cisco CCENT, CCNA and CCNA Security. Currently, Jerry is dedicated to providing career and IT certification advice to other IT professionals, to help them make a more informed decision on their future in IT and also to provide them with important details to ensure a better result when taking certification exams.