IT contractors seek to fill skills gap left by public sector cuts

IT contractors are increasingly confident about job opportunities in the public sector due to reductions in the civil service's head count, finds research

IT contractors are increasingly confident about job opportunities in the public sector due to reductions in the civil service's head count, research has found.

According to a poll by contractor agency Giant, nearly three times more IT contractors expect the public sector to be the source of the most new jobs over the next 12 months than they did in 2010, when just 6% singled it out as the main source of job opportunities.

However, contractors in the public sector have expressed concerns over proposed payment changes, which could force freelancers earning more than £220 a day or working for periods longer than six months onto departmental payrolls.

But Matthew Brown, managing director of Giant, said public sector cuts have led to increased demand for IT contractors. 

“This has created plenty of fresh opportunities for IT contractors. Demand for new IT investment has blossomed as managers hunt for efficiencies, while IT contractors are needed to plug holes in staffing capabilities and implement these new IT systems,” he said.

But IT contractors are less optimistic about job opportunities in financial services. Of the 240 contractors surveyed, some 19% believe this sector will create the most new jobs over the next 12 months, down 16% from 2010.
 


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