View from the Boardroom: Changing the Paradigm
Staffing Industry Review
View from the Boardroom: Changing the Paradigm
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The Covid-19 pandemic showed the world just how dependent humanity is on technology. Where would individuals and businesses have been without ecommerce, Zoom calls and digital collaboration tools?
But one of the perennial problems we face worldwide is a tech talent shortage. For seven of the last 10 years in our CIO Survey, more than half of organisations have said a tech skills shortage has held them back. Our recent “Hot Skills and Salary” report found that the most in-demand skills are currently around security, AI and data analytics - key areas in the digital age.
What makes the problem even harder is that we’re chasing a moving target: The more technology-driven the world becomes, the more tech literate the world needs to be. And new technologies are being created every year - so keeping up gets harder. We estimate that 10% of a tech expert’s skills become outdated every year. Even vastly experienced professionals need to keep on refreshing and updating their skills.
Even the definition of “tech literate” is changing. In the past, it was very much about technical skills that were learned and acquired, then stayed relatively stable for the coming years. But now, with emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning, the tech skills needed are changing at an increasing pace.
So how do we ensure that tech skills keep up and businesses (and suppliers of talent) can meet the needs of tomorrow? A number of key areas need coordinated effort across industry, recruiters, schools and colleges, and policy makers.
Change the narrative. First, we need to change how we talk about technology in order to attract more young people toward tech careers in the first place. It’s only by building the pipeline at a foundational level that we’ll have sufficient talent coming in. Children need to see that technology is not a narrow technical discipline - it’s broad, exciting and touches almost everything we do. It’s also about problem solving, innovation and creativity. It’s not only the arts that are creative - technology is a creative craft too, so come over here and join in!
We also need to change the narrative about how organisations hire technology professionals. It’s not just about technical experts - there are all sorts of roles opening up today that require a blend of tech know-how with soft and transferable skills. There’s room for all sorts of talent within the sector.
The strategy around this needs to be coordinated and interlocked between multiple parties. The curriculum in schools, the training that teachers receive, the engagement and messaging from industry, government policy - all need to support and mutually reinforce it. Otherwise, supply will always lag demand.
Training. The next stage is training and apprenticeships. It goes without saying that every country needs a full and effective programme that incentivises businesses to take on technology trainees and apprentices. And these shouldn’t only be focused on young people. It’s never too late to enter tech! There has to be room for mature adults who are looking to switch careers or learn new skills too.
Attracting girls. Another perennial issue is the gender gap. Only about 15% of tech teams are female. This comes down to many factors that we don’t have room to discuss fully here. But getting the messaging right to attract young girls at an early age is vital. Recent figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK show an encouraging rise in girls joining STEM undergraduate courses, but there is more to do. We also have a new opportunity thanks to the remote/hybrid working age we’re entering - the lack of flexibility in work has always been a barrier to tech careers.
Home and remote working are in fact an opportunity to address the tech skills gap more broadly, not just around gender. Businesses can tap into a far wider talent pool than before. If it doesn’t matter where someone is physically based, then the world is our oyster. Governments must ensure that businesses are able to leverage this and employ the best talent wherever it happens to be.
Tech skills shortages won’t go away overnight. But I’m convinced that, with determined action, we can find new solutions as we move into the post-Covid era.
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