It was a brief mention in a report from TechServe Alliance whose focus was the eight consecutive months of increasing IT employment.
But there it was.
“After eight months of uninterrupted growth, IT employment will be back to pre-COVID levels within the next 30 to 60 days” observed Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. “The primary challenge we experienced before the onset of COVID confronts us again – an insufficient supply of talent in many IT skill sets. Further supporting the data, our firms report many candidates with multiple job offers – underscoring a systemic long-term challenge with no ready solution.”
Yes, the skills gap may be back.
A CNBC report at the end of March didn’t mince words.
“For years, companies have struggled to fill demand for skilled jobs in technology, with eligible workers in short supply. The skills gap remains a significant challenge, but according to a new CNBC survey of technology executives, new approaches to recruiting talent and retraining existing employees are becoming more widespread and helping to close the gap.”
Among those approaches are flexible on-the-job training opportunities and apprenticeship programs.
Speaking of training, Microsoft recently announced that its partnership with LinkedIn had trained 30 million people in digital skills worldwide since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“From laid-off factory workers to retail associates and truck drivers, millions of people turned to online learning courses from GitHub, LinkedIn and Microsoft during the pandemic to help prepare for and secure the most in-demand roles, including customer service, project management and data analysis. The announcement, detailed on the Official Microsoft Blog, builds on the company’s efforts to help people by extending through 2021 free LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Learn courses and low-cost certifications that align to 10 of the most in-demand jobs. The next stage of the initiative sets a new foundation for a skills-based economy through a suite of new tools and platforms designed to connect skilled job seekers with employers.”
We value training, and LRS Consulting Services has a history of providing specialized training for consultants who will be filling a specific niche. Most of our clients, however, prefer that we provide them with fully-trained consultants to fill openings.
Which brings up the question: What skills are most in demand right now?
According to Dice, these are the top 10:
- Software Developer / Engineer
- Project Manager (General)
- Network Engineer / Architect
- Senior Software Developer / Engineer
- Systems Engineer
- Program Manager (General)
- Business Analyst (General)
- IT Project Manager
- Software QA Engineer / Tester
- Computer Support Specialist
We have clients seeking a lot of those same skills for their IT operations. Are you seeking the same skills? Looking for something else?
Please let us know. We helped our clients during the last gap, and we’re prepared to do it again.