In case you haven’t been out much, you might not know that technology is changing daily, rapidly, relentlessly. But if you’re like most of the planet, you are well aware that technological innovation is frenzied. That might be kind of fun if you can afford a new smart phone every six months, but it’s more than a little tough if you’re an IT professional trying to keep up.
And keep up you must. But according to a recent survey by CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association), the gap between the IT skills that employers want and the skills that IT professionals are offering is widening. And most companies are not willing to re-train their employees.
So face it, all you techies out there, the ball’s in your court. And you’d better be willing to step up to the plate and hit it out of the park. (Don’t you hate sports metaphors? Especially when they’re mixed?)
Here are some more results from CompTIA’s survey of more than 500 businesses:
- 93% of businesses say there’s a gap between staff skills and company needs.
- 56% say employees’ skills are “moderately close” or “not even close” to where they need to be.
- 43% say that a lack of IT skill development is contributing to the widening gap.
- Only 15% say they have a formal process for identifying IT skill gaps.
- 80% say the IT skill gap is hurting staff productivity, customer service, and security.
Companies are getting more specific, more selective, and more demanding when it comes to IT workers. Computer professionals are expected to perform at higher levels and work harder than at any time since Alan Turing revolutionized computer thinking. A computer expert can no longer walk into a company and spend time figuring out its systems and data needs. You need the right skills from the moment you walk in the door.
In fact, you need the skills that your employer doesn’t even know you need yet.