Industry experts are predicting a banner year for any freelancers or umbrella company contractors involved in the IT sector after the results of one report.
A new KPMG research study into the technology sectors in the UK found that confidence amongst information technology firms is far above and beyond the British average. Not only that but hiring intentions are strong as well with IT companies either planning to hire more workers or keep the number of staff they have steady. Less than 6 per cent of the IT firms surveyed by the research study said they were planning on downsizing their workforce.
What does this mean for anyone either currently working in the IT sector or looking for work in it? Well first of all it means that if you have a position with an IT firm you’re likely to keep it – and furthermore if you’re looking for more work within the industry odds are you’re going to find it. The most of the pressure is likely going to be on interim workers as well, considering how the skills shortage is still limiting the number of permanent employees that are available to fill vacancies throughout all sectors, the IT industry included.
Something tells me that freelancers and contract workers are more or less just fine with that. More demand for their services means pay rates are likely to increase as IT firms jockey for position and compete with their rivals to snag high-profile temporary workers with the skills needed to grow their own market share. Things are certainly hotting up, and industry analysts are saying that the traditional ‘technology lag’ that the UK experiences in regards to the United States – a six to twelve month gap between a technology being developed in the US and its implementation in the UK – seems to be closing and may indeed end up being a thing of the past thanks to the growth of the British IT sector. This is undoubtedly music to the ears of many an investor who would rather sink their capital into British firms than send their money overseas to the colonies.
I’m not taking the piss out of the Yanks here, either – there’s no denial that some of the fastest-growing tech firms like Google, Apple, and other companies have been born in America after all – but a little pride in our own accomplishments would be nice as well, don’t you think!
