As a recruitment services leader specialising in Information Technology, Candle provides valuable insights into employment issues likely to impact the industry in the future.
Skills shortages are one of those top-of-mind issues for many business executives and IT professionals.
 
The Candle Skills index looks forward and, based on solid data sources, forecasts the likely supply and demand of Computing Professionals through to 2016, utilising a forecasting model developed by our research partner, KPMG Econtech.
 
The research is an extension of the highly regarded and widely reported Clarius Skills Index, developed by our parent company Clarius Group, which provides quarterly updates on the supply and demand of skilled labour across 20 occupation categories as defined by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, using Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force data.
 
Candle is proud to bring to you the first Candle Skills Index, a source of valuable business intelligence.

Overview of the September 2011 Candle Skills Index:

• Candle Skills Index forecast to June 2016
• Market Commentary and salary information for top 5 in demand roles by State from Candle Australia
• Market Commentary and salary information for top 5 in demand roles by city from Candle New Zealand

Brain Drain imminent as ICT skills lured offshore:

• Computing Professionals Index balanced at 100.5, shortages of around 1,100 workers
• Skilled professionals employed in the sector will grow by 3,700 in the next five years
• This growth will not be enough to meet the increasing demand, leaving a continued shortfall of 1,200 professionals

Australian employers adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to recruitment could be doing themselves more harm than good with skilled IT professionals being lured offshore by immediate and lucrative job opportunities, according to the latest Candle Skills Index released today.

The Candle Skills Index – uses analysis by KPMG Econtech based on ABS and DEEWR data – shows that while number of skilled professionals employed in the sector in the next five years will grow by 3,700, there will be a continued shortfall of 1,200.

The Index for Computing Professionals is currently in the balanced range at 100.5 and shows an existing shortage of around 1,100 workers. This is expected to persist at the aggregate level, out of a pool of approximately 212,000 professionals, tempered by industry caution.

The shortfall could be further exacerbated as a result of the global move to shift IT functions overseas, primarily the Asia-Pacific, and the job opportunities that this presents for Australian professionals.

According to Candle Executive General Manager, Linda Trevor, a ‘brain drain’ trend is emerging as Australian employers are increasingly hiring on a contractor rather than permanent basis or putting employment decisions on hold.

“This flow on IT ‘brain drain’ is threatening an already skills short industry as job prospects and competitive remuneration packages entice Australian IT professionals overseas,” Ms Trevor said.