There are a lot of IT contractors working these days. In fact, the number of working IT contractors hasn’t been this high since the run-up to Y2K. Ah, those were the days.
Today, it isn’t massive code remediation that’s sparking the spike in IT contractors. It’s economic uncertainties, making companies reluctant to commit to full-term, regular employees. And burgeoning mobile technology and big data initiatives are increasing the need for developers with specific skills to rapidly deploy targeted projects.
Some experts believe that Obamacare may also be influencing the popularity of contract workers. Companies that can keep their permanent workforce low don’t need to provide health insurance under the new regulations.
What do the numbers look like? In 2010 and 2011, six percent of the average IT staff was made up of contractors. Today, that number has more than doubled to about 15 percent.
As for permanent workers, the IT field remains strong compared to other occupations. Surveys indicate that many companies plan to expand their IT staff in the coming year.
So it may not be 1999, but 2014 could be a good year for IT professionals.