SURVEY OF IT WORKERS REVEALS ATTITUDES TOWARDS SKILLS
Survey of 687 finds only 16 percent feel under qualified for tech sector roles
reesmarx europe, a recruitment firm for technology companies, has announced findings from a survey* of 687 IT workers across Europe. The broad survey into IT worker perspectives on the job market, recruitment experiences and the European tech sector has revealed some interesting viewpoints on skills, qualifications and future outlooks. The research shows that most IT workers do not see any specific qualifications as being most valuable to their field, and would not recommend any single qualifications to those seeking a career in IT. Indeed, almost half have felt over-qualified for roles (47%), with 57% seeing experience as the most valuable candidate credential.
Key findings of the research are as follows:
- Specific qualifications not needed – 63% of those polled do not consider any single qualification to be most valuable, with two thirds stating that there is no particular qualification that they would recommend to those seeking a career in IT. In addition, 62% stated that there are no additional qualifications that they would currently like to gain.
- Qualifications vs experience – Although only 2% believe qualifications to be the most important asset and 41% believe qualifications and experience are equally important, the majority – 57% – believe experience is the single most valuable asset. A high percentage of respondents – 47% – have found themselves over-qualified for tech sector roles at some time, 37% having been neither over, nor under-qualified, with the remaining having been under qualified for positions.
- Future concerns – Looking ahead, the majority of respondents – 58% – believe that a reduced number of students studying science and technology will have an adverse affect on the industry, 26% do not think this will have a negative impact, with the rest undecided. Only 14% of IT workers polled see a present high risk of a tech-bubble burst, although almost half – 49% – think there is a low risk and 37% believe there is no risk.
Overall the results show that IT workers are not reliant on qualifications and do not feel restricted by them.
“These survey findings provide a snapshot of how IT workers value qualifications and how they see them affecting their own career opportunities,” said Glyn Rees, managing partner at reesmarx europe. “It’s interesting, particularly in the context of the ‘skills gap’ debate, that more survey respondents don’t consider qualifications to be a more valuable asset. This is clearly of concern in the future, as IT workers look to the short term risk of a bubble-burst – and the prospect of having to find a new job – and looking to the next generation of IT workers who will help the sector to continue to grow. In the experience of those polled, specific qualifications have not been important prerequisites for their roles, showing that IT firms are looking for the correct balance between academic and real-world experience to fill positions.”
About reesmarx
Established in 2000, reesmarx offers permanent and interim recruitment solutions tailored specifically to meet the needs of the technology market across EMEA and USA. From our network of offices across Europe and USA, our consultants, in-house resourcers and management team operate a successful partnership approach in a challenging global economy. Our competitive advantage is that we understand the changing dynamics of the technology sector and can penetrate the market quickly through our professional approach and strong network of contacts established over many years.
Press contacts for reesmarx europe
Jonathan Mathias and Flora Haslam
Johnson King
+44 207 401 7968
[email protected]
