One in two IT employers to hire this quarter

Almost half of Australian IT employers expect to increase staff numbers this quarter, according to a new survey by Hudson.

In its national survey of 7410 employers, the IT recruiter found that one in two employers plan to increase permanent staff levels during the December ’06 quarter (48.2 percent), while only 4.5 percent expect to reduce staffing levels.

The results represent a marginal 1.7 percent decline from the previous quarter, but a 4.9 percent increase from the second calendar quarter and a 7.6 percent rise in from 12 months ago.

Nationally, employer outlook has improved for the third consecutive quarter with 36.9 percent of those interviewed expecting to increase permanent employment levels this October to December quarter.

IT employer sentiment is the strongest in the ACT, with 63.9 percent of employers expecting to increase staff in the IT sector, and 8.3 percent to decrease staff levels, translating to a net effect of positive 55.6 percent, Hudson said.

The survey also found that 44.1 percent of employers surveyed nationally in the telecommunications sector plan to take on more staff over the next three months, while 6.3 percent expect to decrease staff.

Martin Retschko, director of the information technology and telecommunications sector for Hudson said it is a great time to be in the IT sector.

“With IT spending up across the board and significant investment flowing into new research and product development, IT candidates are in high demand,” said Retschko.

“Consumer IT spending has remained strong for some time which has contributed to demand for personal computers and technology based services in the home. Businesses are investing in technology as an imperative to remain productive and competitive.