80% of IT employers see skills gap as a major hurdle to meet objectives: Skillsoft
Amid businesses laying off staff to cut costs, a study by Skillsoft has found that 62% of APAC IT decision-makers see skills gaps in their teams. At the same time, the study also found that the industry is facing another pressing challenge revolving around talent attrition with more than half (53%) of respondents expressing a desire to switch jobs in the next 12 months.
The report titled ‘2022 IT Skills and Salary Report’ shows that despite the improvement, IT skills gaps still weigh heavy on IT decision-makers' minds.
The study further revealed that 80% of managers felt that skills gaps pose a high or medium risk to their team’s ability to meet objectives.
Among the total respondents, 63% said they were unable to fill at least three positions last year.
According to the study by Skillsoft, the top factors driving skills gaps are difficulties with hiring skilled candidates (44%) and employee retention (33%). Twenty-six per cent said they are not happy with training modules as not enough is being invested into training. Seventy per cent of IT departments in APAC expect a budget increase in the next year (up from 44% in 2021).
However, the report found that IT employers can still hold back recession by supporting the employees by upskilling themselves. The study also revealed that IT professionals are eager for knowledge as they think that power skills are increasingly critical.
“Learning is the catalyst for mutually beneficial growth for employees and employers, especially as organisations struggle to retain technical talent and keep pace with innovation,” said Zach Sims, general manager, of Tech & Dev, Skillsoft.
He added, “Companies that create cultures of learning and talent development will be most successful in recruiting and retaining ambitious individuals with the right skills and certifications to make an impact. This culture not only supports individual employee growth – which is something IT professionals are actively seeking – but also leads to better business outcomes that propel organisations forward.”
