Press release Thursday 25 January 2007
CONTRACTORS LOOKING TO IMPROVE SKILLS AND TAKE ON MORE
RESPONSIBILITY TO COUNTER OFFSHORING RISKS
Job security now one of least important criteria, skills development a
growing concern
IT contractors are responding positively to the threat posed by offshoring to
entry-level IT jobs by favouring roles that allow them to develop higher value
skills and gain management experience, reveals a survey by giant group
plc, the contractor services provider.
At the same time, short-term financial considerations, such as income and job
security, continue to be of declining importance to IT contractors when choosing
contracts.
The survey, conducted among over 2,500 respondees, over the last 12 months,
shows that of six criteria, three – skills development, responsibility and brand
status – are more important to IT contractors now than at the start of 2006.
Skills development is now the second most important consideration for IT
contractors, alongside work-life balance. Job security has fallen to be fifth
most important criteria, having once occupied second place.
| Criteria |
Q4 2006 |
Q4 2005 |
| Income |
7.5 |
7.6 |
| Skills development |
6.7 |
6.5 |
| Work-life balance |
6.7 |
6.8 |
| Responsibility |
6.1 |
5.9 |
| Job security |
6.0 |
6.1 |
| Brand status |
5.5 |
5.4 |
Contractors are asked to award each of six specified criteria a mark between 0 and 10
Matthew Brown, Managing Director, giant group, comments: "UK
contractors are increasingly recognising the need to climb up the skills ladder
and acquire more management experience as lower skilled IT functions continue to
be sent offshore."
According to giant, skills development is a key factor influencing
criteria, such as income and job security.
"Contractors at the higher end of the skills spectrum are benefiting from
double digit pay increases, whilst IT workers in support roles are seeing their
pay stagnate or even decline, so contractors motivated principally by income
neglect developing their skills at their own peril", says Matthew Brown.
The rising value attached to the brand status of the client or the project,
is a good indication of strengthening confidence in the contract market, says
giant.
"Contractors feel they are in a position to give more consideration to the
kind of work they do and the status of the client because they no longer feel
they have to maximise short term income in anticipation of long periods without
work."
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