As if IT leaders didn’t have enough challenges to contend with, they are also confronting an IT skills gap that, if left unaddressed, will significantly hamper their ability to digitally transform. According to GartnerOpens a new window , 75 percent of organizations will experience visible business disruptions by 2020 because they have not adequately addressed the infrastructure and operations skills gap. In addition, 40 percent of IT staff will hold multiple roles by 2021, with most of them centering on the business rather than technology. With that in mind, here’s a look at where the IT skills gap will be most acutely felt and what IT leaders can do about it.
Where the IT Skills Gap Hurts Most
Organizations are feeling the IT skills gap in several areas, including artificial intelligence, data science, and cybersecurity. Many businesses are looking for top-notch cloud architects as they move more workloads into the cloud. Developers are also in high demand. In some cases, the skills a business needs may even overlap with one another, adding complexity and urgency to the situation. And the requirements aren’t just technical; creative thinking and problem solving will also be essential to success. Accordingly, hiring managers report that finding qualified candidates for new IT job roles is increasingly difficult, and filling positions is taking them much longer than originally anticipated.
4 Steps for Bridging the IT Skills Gap
Fortunately, businesses can take several steps to bridge the IT skills gap. Here are four ways you can get started:
- Develop a skills gap strategy. According to CompTIAOpens a new window , two-thirds of organizations do not have a strategy for addressing the IT skills gap, even though this lack of clarity is already hurting the bottom line. To bridge the gap your organization faces, be sure to identify the exact skills you lack, why they are needed, and what the business impact will be if they go unaddressed for a certain period of time. You will need to have this information in hand when making the case for professional development investments to the C-suite, among other things.
- Improve the skills of existing staff. According to the World Economic ForumOpens a new window , 54 percent of all employees will require significant reskilling by 2022. And, as the Gartner findings mentioned earlier indicate, IT staff will increasingly require business acumen rather than just technology chops when taking on additional responsibilities. Rather than seeking outside candidates to fill newly created technical positions at the company, you may find that it is worthwhile to develop the skills of your own staff—who, it’s worth noting, are already familiar with your business and how it runs.
- Broaden your talent pool. In addition to developing your own staff, seek nontraditional candidates when hiring for new positions. Silicon Valley is already doing so, abandoning its past requirements for candidates with specific degrees from elite colleges and universities in favor of creative thinkers from diverse backgrounds. As many studies have shown, companies with diverse workforces enjoy a healthier bottom line than their less-diverse counterparts, giving businesses another compelling reason to broaden their talent pools.
- Prioritize continuous learning. As TechRepublicOpens a new window points out, the days in which IT pros could rest on their laurels and fulfill their job responsibilities using a fixed level of knowledge and experience are long gone. In addition to intentionally upskilling or reskilling existing staff into new roles, make it a priority offer continuous learning and professional development opportunities to your team. That way, you are more likely to spot future needs and address them before they have the potential to disrupt your business.
The Time to Bridge the IT Skills Gap Is Now
Businesses have no time to lose when it comes to bridging the IT skills gap. Organizations that fail to close it in time could find their digital transformation initiatives stalled and their competitive prospects at a standstill. Or, if they do not bring the appropriate cybersecurity skills on board, they could suffer a devastating breach that has painful legal and reputational repercussions. Companies that take on this challenge now may have a heavy lift in the short term, but they will likely be rewarded for their trouble with enviable competitive advantages and golden business opportunities in the long run.