It’s been announced that ten British companies are to lead government-backed research, development and demonstration projects that will use talent in the UK’s information and communication technology sectors in an attempt to improve productivity and competitiveness in manufacturing and construction. But the news comes amidst growing concern that the technology industry itself is facing a skills crisis.
The Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council will award over £6m of grant funding to the ten collaborative projects. Including match-funding from the businesses taking part, the total value of the R&D will be around £12m.
But numerous technology firms have told the NS that they are struggling to find high quality graduates to fill vacant positions. Others say there is a lack of enthusiasm amongst graduates for careers in technology, despite David Cameron’s hopes that initiatives like Tech City or “Silicon Roundabout” in Old Street will act as a hub to spur economic growth.
Loughborough-based clean power systems firm Intelligent Energy employs 250 people in total, spread across the UK, US and India. Its CEO Dr. Henri Winand told us that the firm has a number of vacancies in the UK, but that “There is a lack of applicants for some roles, especially those jobs which require more science and engineering backgrounds, or indeed, people with solid programme management skills.”
Such comments are backed up by research published today by IT recruitment firm, Modis International. Its survey of 250 IT decision-makers in the UK found that 27 per cent are struggling to source quality candidates, rising to 44 per cent in larger firms. The survey found that over one third of companies are struggling to implement their own IT strategies because they haven’t got the right skills in-house; 23 per cent plan to turn to temporary specialist contractors to plug the gap. “The IT industry is in danger of a skills crisis,” said Jim Albert, Modis managing director.
The story was the same with a range of technology companies, with only a few saying that they have been able to find graduates that meet expectations, or even show any enthusiasm for technology jobs. Backup Technology’s CEO Simon Chappell told the NS it has open positions for graduates, but at one university only five people bothered to turn up to their careers presentation: “Surprising, given job market conditions and the numbers of unemployed graduates and young people,” he noted.
The Government has launched various apprenticeship programmes and growth and innovation schemes such as “Silicon Roundabout” and it’s offered some tax breaks to tech entrepreneurs and investors. Yet it seems, from the majority of technology firms we spoke to, that these initiatives are not yet paying off in terms of attracting the right kind of candidates into the technology industry.
Jason Stamper is NS technology correspondent and editor of Computer Business Review: read the full report at www.cbronline.com.
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