Staff Shortage Causes Pain

Demand for IT talent will double in the next five years, a study predicts

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Edited by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee
Issue date: March 3, 1997

If you're beginning to think that getting 12 teeth filled without Novocaine would be less painful than filling a dozen vacant IT positions on your staff, you may be right.

There are about 191,000 vacant IT positions at medium-sized and large companies in the United States, according to a new study by the Information Technology Association of America, a professional organization in Washington. The association says that estimate is conservative and doesn't include small companies, nonprofit groups, or government agencies that are also undoubtedly seeking the same talents.

There are about 2 million white-collar IT workers in the United States, including programmers, network specialists, and others. That means there is roughly one vacancy for every 10 IT employees. The demand for such workers is projected to double in the next five years, says Tony Vickers, the association's executive director.

"A deeper talent pool is absolutely essential," he says. "The gap threatens competitive edge, industry growth, and U.S. prosperity."

Of the 2,000 companies surveyed last November and December, 82% expect to increase the number of IT workers they employ this year, 16% expect to hold IT staffing levels steady, and only 2% expect to reduce the number of IT employees.

Of the recruiting managers surveyed, 69% say only a few or some of the IT applicants they encounter possess the skills sought.

Among the skills in great demand are the ability to program in C++, Java, and Perl; networking expertise; and Internet talent, says Harris Miller, president of the association.

To help address the shortages, the group advocates the creation of a government-sponsored national commission to investigate the best ways to develop IT talent. Programs could include trying to get students in elementary and secondary school in- terested in pursuing IT professions, or joint ventures between business and colleges, universities, and technical schools.

"We are not producing enough students interested in IT careers to meet demands," says Vickers. "This will be a challenge for all of us as we move into the 21st century."

But not everyone agrees an IT talent shortage exists. "Employers are overdefining their requirements," says Norman Matloff, a professor at the University of California at Davis -which, unlike most U.S. colleges, has seen enrollment by undergraduate compu ter-science majors increase significantly in recent years. "Employers are shooting themselves in the foot, putting too much emphasis on certain skills."

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