Two studies released this month show there to be a supply and demand market for IT jobs – particularly in New Zealand.
The first is an Accenture report, which says that a large number of young people are considering the possibilities of finding a digital job. The study of UK students found that, with the world taking on a more digital landscape, 12-17 year olds see their careers in IT employment or similar tech-based roles.
Three-quarters of 12-17 year olds surveyed by Accenture said the increase in digital technologies will give them a better chance of finding work in the future. Out of more than 5,000 respondents, half said digital opportunities will help them land their "dream job".
More than two-thirds (67 per cent) also said they recognised that the opportunities they will be competing for will be new – created specifically to cope with the modern digital landscape.
New Zealand's digital divide
So, with the next generation of jobseekers understanding the potential in IT employment, is New Zealand able to supply the work? A recent study by Manage Your Own Business (MYOB) suggests so.
In its latest Digital Nation report, MYOB found many small businesses in New Zealand are behind the times in using internet resources and technology to full effect.
The small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) experts even went so far as to call the problem a "digital divide".
The report found almost half of Kiwi SMEs (47 per cent) have no online presence whatsoever. Just shy of one-quarter (22 per cent) have a website-only business, whereas 9 per cent solely use social media.
As a potential result of their lack of internet adoption, 46 per cent of businesses with a website reported revenue growth over the last 12 months, while only 35 per cent of businesses with no online presence could say the same.
Similar results show that the divide is not set to close, with 45 per cent of online businesses saying there is more work already in the pipeline, compared to 31 per cent of offline enterprises.
Sooner rather than later, New Zealand's SMEs may find the advantages of increasing their digital presence are too good to pass up.
As that begins to happen, businesses could start crying out for specialised IT recruitment.
