E-business and networking skills continue to drive the certification market, while entry-level qualifications lose favour.
Benefits included in IT packages are much the same, but achievers can earn up to 60% more through incentives.
The local IT industry is still the domain of white males and workaholics, while Johannesburg and Pretoria remain the areas of choice.
South Africa`s IT professionals still don`t rate base pay as the top factor in job satisfaction, but they want more challenges and growth opportunities than they did in the past.
There has been a shift in IT workers` attitude toward their future in SA as this survey shows fewer employees considering emigration. For those thinking of moving overseas, reasons are now primarily economic, rather than dissatisfaction with the high crime levels and the country`s political mood.
Employers are throwing money at those with high-end skills, experience and business savvy, despite the IT downturn. With an abundance of entry-level candidates, there is a shortage of experienced specialised skills, and a wide gap between top and bottom earners.
ITWeb`s annual IT Salary Survey, now in its fourth year, is unique in that it polls individuals - South African IT professionals - rather than employers or recruitment specialists.
Women in the South African IT sector want equal pay, flexible hours and more respect, according to a survey conducted by the Department of Information Systems at the University of Cape Town.
A report polling CEOs and business leaders in the technology, telecommunications and content industries has found that broadband and 3G are some way off in SA, but once it hits, a handful of companies stand to gain.
A close look at salaries as a factor of certified skills confirms the deflated value of mass-produced certifications. A new skill set is in demand to support the networked, e-business economy.
Our survey found that job-hopping offers significant financial rewards, and that headhunting is a growing trend.
The ideals of the Rainbow Nation have yet to make their mark on the IT industry. Judging by our sample, the IT industry in SA is dominated by young white males.