Project management tops IT skills agenda
~ IT pros in need of PPM training but most too busy to take part ~
September 2008
Project and programme management is the most in-demand skill among IT workers, topping the list at 64 per cent of companies. That’s according to research by IT services and solutions company Parity*.
In order to meet demand, almost three quarters of UK companies will be investing in project and programme management training for employees in the coming year.
However, the study also revealed that two thirds of IT professionals are too busy at work to undertake as much further training as they would like.
"There is clearly demand among IT staff for learning and development in areas that are integral to the success of the business,” said Rick Firth, managing director at Parity Training. “A company is only as good as its people, so training in these areas is vital in ensuring skills are kept up to date and workers remain motivated."
Firth continued: "But somewhere along the line, something is going wrong. If staff want to continue their professional development, and companies are making training available, there is no reason for them to miss out. Perhaps employers need to take a stronger line and incorporate training into staff contracts and workloads."
*Information from IT managers at 50 of the UK’s top companies.
Notes to Editors
About Parity
Parity is a business and IT solutions company. With over 40 years' industry experience, it delivers a range of recruitment, learning and business and IT solutions that contribute to the growth and organisational performance of private and public sector clients.
Parity has deep industry knowledge and expertise across a variety of sectors including commercial, central and local government, defence and commercial. It delivers people, skills and concepts for IT projects and programmes and has provided these services to a range of blue-chip clients, including BT, Ofgem, HBOS, The Cabinet Office, BAT and The Charity Commission.
The company operates as three divisions, Solutions, Resources and Training, all of which use people to solve business and IT issues. Parity designed and runs the largest graduate recruitment programme in the UK for The Cabinet Office, is responsible for creating the UK’s award winning eGovernment portal, eFire, ranks as the top supplier of IT and Programme and Project Management specialist contractors to the public sector through the Catalist framework and throughout its history, has delivered training to over 1 million people - more people than any other UK IT training provider.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Parity recorded a turnover of over £150m in 2007.
For further information, please contact:
Gemma Rowlan or Suzy Ferguson at LEWIS
gemmar@lewispr.com / suzyf@lewispr.com
+44 (0) 20 7802 2626/7
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com
