The hiring outlook for the IT sector is set to look buoyant in South East Asia over the next 12 months, reporting findings from the recent Michael Page Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia 2015/16 CIO Viewpoint report.
Across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, companies are seeking many large scale projects in technology aligned to growth and a demand for greater efficiency and heightened innovation.
Findings from the report show there is optimism in the IT sector among surveyed CIOs, as over almost a half of respondents (42%) predict that the job market will improve over the next 12 months and an overwhelming 63% of CIOs state that their staff headcount will increase, further bolstering job prospects for IT professionals throughout South East Asia.
This report is based on the survey findings of 41 of the most highly regarded Chief Information Officers (CIOs) working across a range of industry sectors in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Anthony Thompson, Regional Managing Director, PageGroup Greater China & South East Asia, says, “73% of CIOs increasing their headcount will be doing so by hiring permanent staff, and it is clear that IT professionals with project management, cloud technology and mobility development skills will be in highest demand. Advances in big data mean that data architects, analysts and security experts will be highly sought after.”
Mobility, cloud services and project management are the priority areas in the next 12 months for CIOs in the region, and findings from the report indicate that it is in these exact areas, where the lack of skilled local talent is the greatest.
To counter the local talent gap, 54% of CIOs are offering learning and development programmes, which include further training, upskilling and mentoring for their existing employees. However, it takes time to get results from this approach and businesses looking forward to quick results will have to look internationally in the short-term, to bring in resources that can deliver quality work.
See: Southeast Asia Staffing Trends in 2015
In terms of customer experience, CIOs are primarily concentrating on improving processes and experiences for mobile and wireless devices. In the next 12 months, mobility is the most important priority for 39% of respondents, followed by cloud services (37%) and digital (15%).
“We are seeing CIOs shifting from their traditional technical focus to delivering optimal services to their customers,” says Thompson. “CIOs are also focused on operational efficiency and business resiliency, with 37% stating that only 1 to 2% of their company budget is being reinvested into IT. CIOs are conveying the message that they are doing more with less, as is indicative of the smaller working teams and limited technology budgets.”
Investment in IT budgets across South East Asia could well be improving, as 46% of survey respondents’ state that their budget has increased from the previous year. This can be attributed to companies realising how technology can drive bottom line through improved productivity, efficiency and cost savings. Only 15% of CIOs have had their budget decreased.
The hiring outlook for the technology sector across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia is expected to be positive as CIOs look to grow their teams over the next 12 months, buoyed by bigger investment and a focus on keeping pace with fast-moving technologies and trying to gain a competitive edge.
Also read: 5 Strategies to Fix the Leadership Gap in Southeast Asia
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