Technology jobs are in high demand in Canada but companies are finding it hard to fill those positions.

A survey by employment agency Robert Half found that 59 per cent of hiring managers plan to expand their information technology teams; 82 per cent say it’s challenging to find skilled professionals; and 94 per cent of leaders will make project-based hires.

Deborah Bottineau

“Today’s tech talent shortage is proving to be a challenge for Canadian employers, especially when it comes to IT security and cloud-based services,” said Deborah Bottineau, district president of Robert Half Technology. “Whether a company’s priorities are focused on innovation or expansion, managers looking for skilled tech workers should be cognizant of what candidates want most, from competitive salary and benefits to career development opportunities.

“More IT leaders are seeing the benefits of bringing in project support professionals to alleviate workloads on existing staff. The key to meeting and exceeding rising business needs is making sure your team is well-supported and armed with cutting-edge tools and skill sets.”

Respondents to the survey cited the following skills as immediately needed for their organizations:

• cybersecurity;
• cloud security;
• business intelligence;
• cloud computing;
• cloud architecture;
• database management;
• web development/design.

Of those who said they would bring on people for projects, 53 per cent said consultants are part of their overall hiring strategy, and 53 per cent said they will bring project professionals on when there is a sudden vacancy on their team.

The survey also found that 98 per cent of IT leaders are confident in their company’s prospects for growth in the second half of 2019.

Besides recruitment, top priorities for tech managers in the next six months include maintaining security of IT systems, innovation or helping grow the business, and investing in new technologies, it said.

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