Tech Leaders in Canada are Hiring but Challenges Remain; Security and Cloud Skills in High Demand

Tuesday, 09 July 2019 08:00.AM

- 59% of hiring managers plan to expand their IT teams; 82% say it's challenging to find skilled professionals.
- 94% of leaders will make project-based hires.

Tech teams will continue to grow in the second half of the year, but finding the right talent won't be easy, according to Robert Half Technology's State of Tech Hiring in Canada research. Of the IT hiring decision makers polled, 59 per cent plan to expand their teams by adding full-time employees. Eighty-two per cent of those surveyed said it's difficult for their company to find skilled IT professionals.

Respondents cited the following skills as immediately needed for their organizations:
1. Cybersecurity
2. Cloud security
3. Business intelligence; cloud computing*
4. Cloud architecture
5. Database management; web development/design*
*Denotes a tie.

Almost all respondents (94 per cent) said they will bring on project professionals to support their teams. Of those, 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.

View an infographic of national hiring plans.

"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."

Bottineau added, "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 skillsets."

Additional research findings:

- Nearly all IT leaders (98 per cent) noted they 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.