When Britain voted to leave the European Union, there was widespread worry among the IT contractor community that the uncertainty created by Brexit would affect the opportunities available to them. However, it now turns out that these worries could be unfounded.
A Recruitment and Employment Confederate (REC) IT contractor index that gauges and computes the demand for IT contractors across the UK has a reached a seven-month high. This index reveals that IT contractor jobs are thriving and flourishing across the country even though there may be a fair amount of worry related to Brexit.
The REC stated that there are opportunities galore for contract and permanent employees in nine industries. One of these industries is IT. The REC added that the number of new opportunities had gone back to the levels that were prevalent before the EU referendum.
The REC index shows that the IT contractor market is witnessing a surge similar to the one that was prevalent during the first quarter of 2016. The index showed that in March, the demand for IT contractors was 56.4, while that demand in October stands at 56.3.
The REC also mentioned that just two areas of specialities are currently in short supply in the IT contractor market. These are digital and development, and the contractors with these two skills are highly sought-after by clients.
However, the REC was emphatic that the Government should not relax after seeing the results of the index. REC Chief Executive Kevin Green said that the Government should create a strategy so that the education system in the country imparts employability skills to students leaving school. This will prepare them for the job market, including the IT job market.
Green also pointed out that Britain’s immigration policy should take into account the labour needs so that the shortage of specialists and experts in the field of IT could be addressed.