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ICT Trends – The Year in Retrospect

Optimistic Outlook

For anyone contemplating a career in ICT the likelihood of obtaining a well-paid job in the industry with good long term prospects, not just here in NZ, but globally, are extremely positive.

According to the Hudson report, released earlier this year, ICT professionals are in demand in New Zealand, with the ICT industry contributing around NZ$19.3 billion to the economy each year. Growth in wireless infrastructure, health IT, digital content, payments, geospatial, telecommunications and agricultural technology has resulted in the New Zealand government declaring a long term skills shortage (LTSSL) in the profession (Refer to the CITRENZ October newsletter – Global & NZ demand for ICT skills).

In an attempt to redress the issue the NZ government budgeted (in bulk funded money) an extra $42 million for engineering and $17 million for science (and computing) at universities and polytechnics for 2013 (Refer to the CITRENZ April newsletter – Skills Crisis).

And in a related article; Skills crisis: Growing firm struggles to find suitable graduates ,Orion Health stated that it was unlikely to find the 50 software engineering graduates it needed to hire this year. The shortage of CS/IT graduates in NZ was highlighted with the example of Auckland University enrolment numbers tumbling from 1225 fulltime-equivalents (EFTS) in 2003 to 731 in 2008, before recovering to just 949 in 2012.

The Hudson report also emphasises the skills needed to foster a successful career in the ICT profession. The skill set in demand includes excellent communication and project management skills, together with the necessary technical skills, to help ensure the best commercial outcomes (Refer to the CITRENZ November newsletter – High value graduate assets).

Roles in Demand

The most in-demand roles/skills identified in the Hudson report are listed in table 1, together with the number of Seek ICT job adverts, as revealed by the active filter, and the associated salary range.

Rolls/Skills in Demand

Number of Seek ICT Job Adverts (all NZ) as at

26 Nov 2013

*Salary Range

(Typical)

Business analyst/Technical business analyst 390/157 $60k - $100k

Change specialist/business change management 48/147 $90k - $130k

Cloud technology specialists/ computing experts (Refer CITRENZ Newsletter Sept. 2013)

145 $60k - $110k

Digital specialists 21 $95k - $130k

Enterprise architects 73 $130k - $160k

Health informatics 8 $70k - $110k

Mobile app developers 55 $50k - $100k

Relationship/project manager 159/382 $60k - $115k

Security specialist/professional (A consistent concern for organisations with the proliferation of BYOD).

24/51 $70k - $90k

Table 1 Roles in Demand *Salary ranges derived from a range of Seek ICT Job Adverts

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Falling Job Numbers

Figure 1 indicates the usual slump in the Seek ICT job adverts for all NZ, with the exception of 2010, leading up to the end of the year. The November 2013 figure is 4 per cent lower than for the same time last year.

This is almost 16 per cent lower than the peak figure of 2568 for November 2011.

Overall, Seek ICT job adverts for all NZ to November have increased by 36.5 per cent since the beginning of this year.

Fig.1 Seek ICT Job Adverts Monthly Trends 2010 –2013 (November)

Trademe IT (fig.2) job adverts are down a fraction on this time last year and have decreased by 13 per cent for the month of November.

Fig.2 Seek ICT & Trademe IT Job Advert Trends to November 2013

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Seek ICT job adverts for November (fig.3) have decreased for Wellington by almost 16 per cent, a 30

per cent swing on last month’s increase of almost 15 per cent.

Fig.3 Seek ICT Job Advert Trends Monthly Change for November 2013

Figure 4 provides a detailed record of the Seek ICT job advert trends by region to November 2013.

Since January 2013 Seek ICT job adverts for Auckland have increased by 46 per cent, down from the

peak increase of 68 per cent in July. Wellington peaked in May, up 58 per cent on the January figure,

while Canterbury peaked by 66 per cent in July.

Fig.4 Seek ICT Job Advert Monthly Trends to November 2013

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News Bytes: A to Z

ANZ – Hudson ICT Salary Report 2013

The number one thing all active and passive job seekers surveyed are looking for is an increase in

pay. Twenty-two per cent cited this as the most important consideration when moving jobs.

Australia- TechRepublic; November 2013

Gender gap: Why information security needs more women – diversity!

Ireland - 44,500 new job openings predicted for ICT workers in Ireland in the next six years; Nov

2013

A new report Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills forecasts the demand for high-

level ICT skills up to 2018.

NZ – Beehive Government Press Release; October 2013

Joyce; “The digital economy contributed over $2 billion in export earnings last year, and exports of

computer and information services have grown at over 10 per cent per annum between 2002-2012.

Almost 75 per cent of revenue from the New Zealand’s top 100 tech companies comes from

international markets,”

NZ – Stuff.co.nz; November 2013

By one estimate, New Zealand needs 10,000 IT graduates a year, double the number than it

currently produces, plus another 12,000 to 15,000 to make up the shortfall. Four out of five top-

paying jobs on the Trade Me salary scale are IT-related, eclipsing the traditional highest-earning

occupation, a doctor's salary.

South Africa: New Partnership Tackles Local Skills Shortage; November 2013

Enterprise Systems Education for Africa (ESEFA) project aims to develop curricula and establish an

African university community to deliver enterprise systems ES and enterprise resource planning

(ERP) education courses.

The NZ Herald: Obamacare a boon for NZ tech firm; November 2013

Orion Health firm is looking to hire 300 experienced software developers, half of which would be

New Zealand-based positions.

UK – Computing.co.uk November 2013

IBM IOD 2013: 20 per cent more big data skills will be required within next five years. In the US

alone, that's 150,000 additional people.

World Economic Forum - The Global Information Technology Report 2013

NZ’s quality of regulatory & business environment is outstanding; 2nd in environment sub-index

behind Singapore with a ranking of 20th on Networked Readiness Index.