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ICT contracting reaches highest level since 2009

ITCRA says contract positions account for nearly 75 per cent of all roles

Contracting in the ICT sector continues to rise, with contract positions now accounting for nearly 75 per cent of all roles, according to ITCRA’s latest SkillsMatch data.

The ICT contract and recruitment agency said the number of contracting jobs in the third quarter of 2012 was the highest level recorded by the company since the second quarter of 2009.

ITCRA CEO, Julie Mills, said she expects this trend to increase in response to continued global economic uncertainty.

“When employers face economic uncertainty, contractors provide the flexibility to scale up or down according to demand. It’s a matter of remaining agile rather than cutting wages or costs.

“In fact, our most recent Contractor Salary Survey showed remuneration is generally higher for contractors than permanent workers, and longer-term contracts are on the rise, providing more predictability and security for individuals,” she said.

The ITCRA SkillsMatch Dashboard also indicated that the number of business days required to fill a role had fallen to an average of 16 days – the shortest timeframe since ITCRA began collecting data in 2007.

When comparing states, South Australia took the longest average days to hire – 24.3 business days to fill a role, and shortest in Victoria, taking 10.9 business days to fill a role.

The number of suitable candidates applying for each role was up from the previous quarter, with one in every seven candidates applying for a role suitable for the position.

“The falling number of days required to fill a role, coupled with the increasing suitability of job applicants, shows that businesses looking to engage new workers have more choice of candidates,” Mills said.

Mills claimed that despite this, opportunities still exist for savvy jobseekers.

“Candidates who want to be in demand should ensure they have the necessary skills to enhance their chances of getting a job, and consider retraining or up-skilling if necessary through a Registered Training Organisation,” she added.