As automation continues to make its presence felt across multiple industries, the shortage of IT skills is becoming more noticeable. With the emergence of new technologies, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find qualified IT professionals to meet their needs; whilst keeping within budgets requiring ongoing reductions due to economic pressures.
The rise of artificial intelligence and automated computing
The rapid advancement of automation and artificial intelligence has caused a rise in the demand for new IT skills. Companies are now looking to recruit professionals with advanced coding and programming skills, as well as a deep understanding of the new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Because these skills are in high demand there is a shortage of qualified professionals to fill the positions, and Gartner anticipates at least another 12-18 months of talent shortages1.
The overhead costs of maintaining IT skills and certifications
In addition to the shortage of appropriate IT skills, businesses are also facing increased overhead costs to maintain IT skills and certifications. As technology continues to evolve, IT professionals must continuously upskill to stay up-to-date with the latest technological developments. This requires businesses to invest in training and certification programs, which can be costly.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that many companies are facing ongoing economic pressures and requirements to reduce budgets wherever possible, often sacrificing training and development for their IT teams. Maintaining a team of IT professionals requires businesses to provide them with the latest tools and equipment, which can be expensive. For small and medium-sized businesses, these costs can be particularly challenging to bear, resulting in a lack of IT resources and expertise.
The ongoing costs associated with developing in-house expertise, to keep up with evolving technology and certifications, is too high. Furthermore, employees expect increased salaries as they upskill and achieve new certifications amid the cost of living crisis, so overheads just keep increasing. This has caused a further decline in the number of affordable IT professionals available to fill the positions. For this reason, many employers are choosing to outsource their IT services in an effort to realise financial efficiencies.
Mitigating the detrimental effects
The shortage of IT skills is impacting businesses in a number of ways, including increased frustration from reduced productivity across the business and increased stress in IT teams, as well as increased security risk. The challenges can also lead to a lack of innovation, slower development cycles and inadequate systems, all of which can have a detrimental effect on a company’s performance.
Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate against this shortage of IT skills and increasing overheads. One of the most effective solutions is to outsource to companies that specialise in managed IT services. Managed service providers (MSPs) like Core, have teams of highly skilled professionals who can provide the expertise and experience needed to maintain and develop the complex and business critical processes that modern businesses have come to rely on.
Outsourcing to reputable MSPs not only provides businesses with access to the necessary expertise, but it also reduces the need for companies to recruit, retain and develop as many in-house IT staff. This can be a cost-effective solution for businesses, as they can access the expertise they need without having to invest in expensive salaries and recruitment costs. Although some businesses choose to outsource all their IT, most prefer to retain an in-house team, working in partnership with an outsourced provider as an extension of that team. A good services provider will develop an understanding of the business’s evolving goals and requirements, ensuring the business stays up to date with the latest and most effective technology.
Discover what's possible
Would you like to know more about managed services or wondering what your next step should be? Core offers a range of complimentary consultation services to help you understand what a difference it could make to your business, and help you build the business case for your financial decision makers. Enquire about our Technology Roadmap Assessment or Microsoft funded workshops to learn about solutions that cover every aspect of the Microsoft modern workplace; including productivity, collaboration, identity, security and compliance and communication.
The workshops and consultations are a collaborative and immersive experience where our experts will work with you to identify your business objectives and establish the Microsoft technologies to help you achieve them.
Together, we’ll create a roadmap for deployment and adoption in your organisation using actionable insights from our deep-dive discovery. We can also help you with your long-term strategy to ensure you continue to achieve your business objectives beyond the initial implementation.
Many businesses qualify for Microsoft funding for our workshops, so you can experience the power of Microsoft solutions first-hand, at no cost to you.
Find out more about our workshops here and check your funding eligibility today.
Note 1: Gartner’s Q4 2022 Job Opportunity Barometer
