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Talent war continues

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer
Johannesburg, 03 Mar 2008

Economists predict the local economy will slow down this year, but jobs placement agency DMA People says this should not affect the ICT jobs market.

DMA People MD Ross Mengel says an analysis of job placements put in a Sunday newspaper over the last year shows there is a veritable "war for talent" at the moment. He does not expect this to let up this year - despite what the broader economy might do.

"The demand for ICT skills will continue on an upward path. There is a 'war for talent' and good talent with good skills are always sought-after."

Mengel says the paper carried 238 adverts for staff with specific ICT skills in the first quarter of last year. This spiked to 3 485 positions in the fourth quarter.

Mengel could not quantify what the skills required in the advertisements were, but said they were "across the spectrum".

"What I did pick up, though, is a general perception in the IT sector that IT infrastructure development has taken a back seat in the last few years. So companies, especially in banking and financial services, are [now] reinvesting."

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