Singaporean IT leaders say skills shortage could hinder Smart Nation

- Ninety-three percent of Singaporean CIOs are concerned IT talent in Singapore is insufficient for the successful implementation of Smart Nation initiatives.

- Six in 10 believe Smart Nation initiatives will increase job opportunities for IT professionals, 53% say it will increase average IT salaries.

New independent research* commissioned by specialised recruiter Robert Half has found that more than nine in 10 (93%) Singaporean IT leaders are concerned Singapore does not have the IT talent readily available for the building of a Smart Nation-ready workforce. Following the government's launch of Smart Nation initiatives in 2014, businesses have been increasingly involved in the strategic deployment of technology across the nation for improved living, economic growth and national progress - which inevitably requires highly skilled IT professionals to manage.

Compared to five years ago, almost nine in 10 (87%) CIOs find it more challenging to source qualified IT professionals. A similar proportion (83%) say that it is more challenging to attract qualified IT professionals to their organisation.

Employers are struggling to find skilled job candidates in specific functional areas, namely IT security (59%), cloud technology (36%), business intelligence (28%), IT management (27%) and business analysis (25%).

The research has also found IT leaders are optimistic as the clear majority (92%) of CIOs believe that the government’s Smart Nation initiatives will positively impact the local IT employment market. Additionally, more than half (60%) expect an increase in IT job opportunities and 53% predict an increase in average salaries.

Just under half are expecting increased competition to top IT talent, and 29% feel the initiatives will increase the number of locally-trained IT talent. Only 8% of CIOs believe the Smart Nation initiatives will not impact the local IT employment market.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, MD of Robert Half Singapore said: “There is no doubt the government’s Smart Nation initiative will propel Singapore into a prosperous future. However, for Smart Nation to become a reality and result in nationwide success, a stronger supply of highly-skilled local IT talent will be required. Many companies are currently experiencing challenges sourcing and attracting qualified IT professionals – these crucial skills gaps will need to be filled quickly in order for Smart Nation to be a success.”

“As the demand for top IT skills continues to increase in Singapore, a more comprehensive approach will be required to close the current and future technology skills gap. Educational institutions should be encouraged to work with the business community and government to build a more robust business and technology ecosystem that develops and nurtures more talented IT professionals within the local talent pool.”

Imbert-Bouchard also suggested that employers create awareness around the benefits and opportunities available with a career in IT and technology in Singapore, both on a company as well as industry-wide level.

*The annual study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted in June 2018 by an independent research firm, surveying 75 CIOs/CTOs in Singapore. This survey is part of an international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management and trends in the workplace.

New career development platform to address ICM manpower shortage in Singapore

SiTF, together with the support of SPRING Singapore, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), has launched talentguru, a skills-focused career development platform, powered by analytics to help address the skills gap and manpower shortage challenges in Singapore’s infocomm media (ICM) industry.

“Infocomm media is one of the fastest growing industries and an important enabler in Singapore’s ambitions to be a leading Digital Economy and Smart Nation. There are many exciting job opportunities in this sector, ranging from deep technical roles such as Data Scientists and Cybersecurity Forensic Analysts, to business-strategy roles such as Chief Digital Officers and Enterprise Architects, and more. Recognising that people are at the heart of our digital transformation efforts, we are pleased to support the talentguru portal and its efforts to bridge the skills and jobs gap, so as to build up a more vibrant ICM ecosystem,” said Tan Kiat How, Chief Executive, IMDA at the launch last month.

Talentguru is focused on building capacity in the industry by enhancing the pipeline of ICM talent and deepening the pool of local skills. This initiative is backed by a suite of programmes and a strong community of support from the industry as well as SiTF’s network of partners including government agencies, institutes of higher learning (IHLs), trade associations and training providers.

Talentguru intends to grow the local pool of ICM skills and talent, by helping four groups of people:

· Students – prepares them to launch their careers with confidence by using insights from data to understand skills requirements for jobs and their desired careers pathways;

· Career switchers – empowers and motivates them to re-skill and reach new career peaks in the ICM industry;

· ICM professionals – enables them to stay competitive and relevant by acquiring new skills, widening professional networks and keeping up to date with industry trends;

· Employers – facilitates more effective hiring processes with a focus on objective assessments based primarily on skills.

“Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups will now have a dedicated platform that links employers with fresh graduates and job seekers – a resource that many did not have in the past. Talentguru will also drive industry-wide cooperation by bridging technologists, entrepreneurs, multinationals and Singapore companies with IHLs and government agencies to uncover new science, business and technology talents,” said Benjamin Mah, Co-Chairman SiTF Talent & Capabilities Committee.

Powered by JobKred’s proprietary data analytics technology, talentguru allows users to create their own profile of skills and compare themselves against what the industry needs at any given point in time. This allows users to glean useful insights on skills requirements and explore possible career pathways, which is particularly useful for anyone interested in entering the ICM industry for the first time, such as students and career switchers.

Lim Kang Song, Co-Chairman SiTF Talent & Capabilities Committee, said that the rapid pace of change in the ICM industry can result in job seekers feeling lost and insecure. "Many ICM students also choose not to pursue a career in the industry after graduation because they feel unprepared," he said. "Through some early testing with IHLs, students said that talentguru helped to alleviate some of these concerns by providing a clear picture of the skills they needed to get the jobs they wanted. This is an outcome we hope to replicate with career switchers as well.”

As part of the ecosystem of initiatives supporting the talentguru platform, SiTF is making extra effort to help SMEs and startups attract and retain talent. SiTF is working with SPRING to run a structured internship programme to train internship mentors and facilitate the matching of ICM students with quality internships. In recognition of its efforts, SPRING has appointed SiTF as a Partner for SME Talent Programme (STP), to help strengthen the ICM talent pipeline for SMEs and provide meaningful internship opportunities for local students.

“People are strategic assets to businesses and it is important for SMEs to invest in resources to attract and develop talent. With support from SPRING’s Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme, SiTF aims to improve the way job and skills matching is done for the ICT sector, benefitting both job seekers and employers. SiTF is also working on other industry projects such as technology adoption and building up their research capabilities in ICT to strengthen their competency,” said Chew Mok Lee, Assistant Chief Executive, Capabilities & Partnership, SPRING Singapore.

Source: talentguru website. The talentguru initiative will help job seekers tailor their skillsets to market demand.

SiTF is also partnering Proxor, a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff, to administer a rigorous and certifiable skills assessment for Java programming. Proxor’s solution will help test a candidate’s ability to solve real world problems and provide an assessment benchmarked against a global cohort. SiTF hopes that such assessments would gain more industry recognition and help ease the transition for career switchers who have re-skilled to join the ICM industry.

Finally, talentguru will be complemented by a suite of offline events to help build a vibrant and mutually supportive community. Apart from networking sessions, industry talks, and outreach to schools, SiTF and e2i have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to mark a shared commitment to empower local career switchers and displaced professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) transition smoothly into the ICM industry by collaborating on a series of career fairs and seminars over the next two years.

“The ICT sector offers many opportunities and growth potential, and faces a rising demand for tech professionals. To support the demand to attract and groom Singaporeans in this sector, e2i has collaborated with industry partners to recruit manpower through career fairs and professional conversion programmes, as well as bridge skill gap through masterclasses. Talentguru is a platform where Singaporeans interested in joining the sector can identify their training needs, get matched to a suitable job and be part of a vibrant ICT ecosystem,” said Gilbert Tan, CEO, e2i.

Over the next three years, talentguru seeks to engage 500 companies and 10,000 users, facilitating the placement of 3,000 ICM professionals and 1,000 students. It also hopes to train 300 internship mentors in SMEs.

Interested?

View the video introducing talentguru

Give a me a raise if you want to keep me: Singapore IT professionals

• Starting salaries for Singapore’s IT professionals are set to grow by an average of 3.2% in 2017.
• Security Analysts, IT Risk professionals and Infrastructure Architects are set to receive the highest salary gains in 2017.
• More than half (51%) of technology professionals in Singapore think they are not being paid a fair salary in relation to their role and job duties with 47% saying their pay is not in proportion with their workload/responsibilities.
• Almost all (92%) say they are willing to accept a job offer with a higher salary if they felt they were not being paid a fair salary with their current employer, yet 70% are less inclined to look for a new job after they receive a pay rise.

Source: Robert Half. Singapore IT professionals expect pay rises in 2017.

Demand for highly-skilled IT professionals is heating up in Singapore, with salaries for specialised IT security professionals set to grow well above the national average. The 2017 Robert Half Salary Guide^ has identified the technology roles that can expect the highest pay gains in terms of starting salaries in 2017.

According to the Robert Half Salary Guide, IT professionals can expect an average starting salary gain of 3.2% in 2017, which is above the national salary growth of 2.7%* as identified by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower. Robert Half says that this suggests that companies are willing to pay competitively for top IT talent.

Pay and salary increases remain a primary motivator for Singapore’s workforce, also indicating IT professionals are more loyal to their company after a pay review. About half (51%) of Singapore’s IT workforce believe they are not being paid a fair salary considering their job responsibilities, with just under half (47%) saying their pay is not in proportion with their daily workload. As technology is now a major business focus, workloads have increased, highlighting the need for companies to continuously review their staff’s remuneration packages to ensure high workloads are offset by a competitive salary, Robert Half notes.

Emphasising the need to pay competitively, the independent Robert Half research indicates 92% of IT professionals say they are willing to accept a job offer with a higher salary if they felt they were not being paid a fair salary with their current employer. Despite this, 70% change their minds when they receive a pay rise, being less inclined to look for a new job.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, MD, Robert Half Singapore said: “Companies are increasingly implementing new and innovative technologies and demand for skilled IT professionals continues to rise, resulting in upward momentum on starting salaries for professionals in this sector. In a candidate-short market, Singaporean businesses are prepared to pay competitively to secure the best IT talent.

“With the growing risk of cyber-attacks, many businesses take a pre-emptive approach to cyber-security by either creating their own in-house team of IT security specialists or relying on security consultants. Companies realise they are competing for a limited pool of top candidates, leaving highly skilled and experienced Security Analysts, Security Consultants and IT Risk professionals across industries in a good position to negotiate above-average salary gains in 2017.”

“Singaporean companies are currently in the race for digitisation and those that are quickest to adapt and at the cutting edge of innovation will be able to gain the strongest market share. Because of this digital acceleration, the shortage of skilled IT professionals who are able to manage complex IT systems, data and analytics projects is becoming more apparent.”

Protecting the integrity of both IT systems, networks and data has become a top priority of many Singaporean companies, and Security Analysts and IT risk professionals play a key role here, which is why they can expect above-average salary gains for the year ahead. Additionally, Big Data Specialists who are able to go above and beyond to support their organisation’s enterprise infrastructure are currently in high demand yet challenging to find. Highly skilled Infrastructure Architects who possess strong leadership and communication skills to effectively lead a team and communicate complex IT terms, can also expect substantial salary growth in 2017.

“The best way for IT professionals to increase their pay is to specialise their skillsets and become highly valuable to their organisation in an ‘add-value’ role. The most sought-after IT professionals, who are able to negotiate well above the industry average, are those who are familiar with new security software and hardware, experienced in big data analytics, and have been involved in a digitisation project,” Imbert-Bouchard concluded.

	Job title	Industry	Years of experience**	2017 min***	2017 max	YoY growth4****
1.	Security Analyst/Consultant	Commerce and Industry	4-7 years’ experience	S$80,000	S$110,000	+ 18.8%
2.	Security Analyst/Consultant	Commerce and Industry	>10 years’ experience	S$115,000	S$155,000	+ 14.9%
3.	Security Analyst/Consultant	Financial Services	>10 years’ experience	S$130,000	S$180,000	+ 14.8%
4.	Security Analyst/Consultant	Financial Services	4-7 years’ experience	S$100,000	S$130,000	+ 12.2%
5.	IT Audit/IT Risk	Commerce and industry	4-7 years’ experience	S$70,000	S$90,000	+ 10.3%
6.	Infrastructure Architect	Commerce and industry	>10 years’ experience	S$120,000	S$150,000	+ 10.2%
7.	IT Audit/IT Risk	Financial services	4-7 years’ experience	S$100,000	S$130,000	+ 9.5%
8.	IT Audit/IT Risk	Commerce and industry	7-10 years’ experience	S$100,000	S$130,000	+ 9.5%
9.	Security Analyst/Consultant	Commerce and industry	7-10 years’ experience	S$100,000	S$130,000	+ 9.5%
10.	Security Analyst/Consultant	Financial services	7-10 years’ experience	S$110,000	S$135,000	+ 8.9%

Source: 2017 Robert Half Salary Guide

Interested?

Download the 2017 Robert Half Salary Guide

 

* Ministry of Manpower – Labour Force in Singapore Advance Release 2016

**Years of experience in IT/technology.

***Salaries refers to starting salaries. Salary figures provided vary according to level of experience, size of the company, sector, employee skills and the organisation itself.
 

****Salary difference between 2016 and 2017.

^The 2017 Robert Half Salary Guide is a resource on starting salaries and recruitment trends in finance and accounting, financial services and information technology. It offers a comprehensive overview of the current salary ranges, industry trends and specific job trends for finance and accounting professionals, finance professionals in the financial services sector and information technology professionals. The results and insights of the 2017 Robert Half Salary Guide are based on comprehensive analyses, local job placements, local expertise and independent research of executives and office workers. For the first time with the guide, Robert Half has also aggregated its data with Broadbean job posting data, a digital tool that captures job advertisement analytics and talent acquisition behaviour. 

The research is developed by Robert Half and was conducted in February 2017 by an independent research firm, surveying 100 technology, 100 finance and accounting, and 100 financial services employees in Singapore.

Solarwinds calls for IT personnel to be recognised on September 15 as IT Professionals Day

SolarWinds, a provider of hybrid IT infrastructure management software, has established the third Tuesday of every September, beginning September 15, 2015, as IT Professionals Day to honour all IT professionals as the unsung heroes of modern business. 

In connection to IT Professionals Day, SolarWinds also released the findings of its IT Pro Value Survey*, which clearly demonstrates the value that Singaporean IT professionals provide. The research outlines the value end users place on the IT department and sheds light on how valued IT professionals themselves feel by their organisations. 

According to the survey, most Singaporean end users agree IT has a greater impact on their daily work lives than the C-suite, with almost two-thirds (60%) agreeing that their company’s IT department going on vacation for a month would have a greater impact on their daily work life than if their company’s C-suite did.

The study also highlights the value Singaporean end users place on technology in the workplace over personnel, with more than four in five (81%) of Singaporean end users placing greater importance on the technology supported by IT professionals in the workplace—such as phones, computers and software—than they do on personnel (35%).

Almost three-quarters of Singaporean end users (72%) indicate work productivity is lost without the technology supported by IT professionals, with a third (36%) saying one day’s work would take an additional business day or longer to complete without said technology and 16% saying it would not at all be possible to carry out their daily work without it.

From an IT professional perspective:

· Three out of five IT professionals (62%) feel at most moderately valued by their employer for their unique contribution to business, with more than one-quarter (27%) feeling only slightly to not at all valued.

· Four out of five IT professionals (83%) feel they are worth more than they are currently compensated, with one-third (35%) saying they feel worth at least 21% more.

· The majority of IT professionals (61%) are concerned about job security, with four in 10 (42%) suggesting company leadership not understanding the importance of IT as a key reason why.

“The survey results demonstrate that business leaders and end users can do a lot more to show IT pros how appreciative they are of the value they provide to business,” said Kevin Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer, SolarWinds. “The technology we rely on to keep business running smoothly is absolutely critical to success, but the level of recognition and reward IT pros receive for the part they play in enabling and supporting it may not match it. IT Professionals Day is a great way to start levelling that.”

IT Professionals Day is designed to annually celebrate all IT professionals regardless of discipline. Whereas holidays such as System Administrator Appreciation Day do well at recognising one category of the profession, IT Professionals Day honours not only system administrators, but also network engineers, database administrators, information security professionals, developers, IT support technicians and all other professionals serving in IT-related roles.

“We’re very excited to be a part of establishing IT Professionals Day as a way to honour all IT pros for the amazing work they do to keep business moving at the lightning speed required for success today,” added Thompson. “When you think about what a typical day would look like for many of today’s workers without IT pros and the technology they support, it’s safe to say work on the whole would slow to a crawl or worse. Considering all they do, IT pros truly are the unsung heroes of modern business. So, on behalf of SolarWinds, thank you to all the IT pros out there. And happy IT Professionals Day 2015 and beyond.”

Interested?

Explore the full survey results, scope and demographics

Hashtag: #ITProDay

*SolarWinds’ IT Pro Value Surveys are twin studies done in connection with IT Professionals Day. One survey explores business end users’ attitudes and opinions about IT professionals and the technology they support to underscore the high value of the profession. The other showcases IT professionals’ general feeling of being undervalued to highlight an opportunity for business leaders and end users to show greater appreciation. 

HP Touchpoint Manager has a promotion price for the first six months

HP has announced HP Touchpoint Manager, a cloud-based solution designed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to manage their IT environments more quickly and effectively.

IT management has become increasingly complex with a very diverse infrastructure to be managed, which can include phones, tablets, PCs and workstations; Android, iOS, Windows operating systems; devices provided by the company, or devices brought in from home. 

HP Touchpoint Manager offers SMBs a one-stop IT management application to keep devices operational, data secure, and IT staff more productive. It is versatile enough to manage most operating systems such as iOS, Android and Windows, as well as a range of devices and form factors.

IT administrators get a simple, web-based dashboard that enables a comprehensive level of  IT support to:

• Monitor the inventory and health of devices
• Remotely lock and wipe devices to help prevent unauthorised access to company data in the event of device loss or theft
• Automatically apply security and policy settings
• Communicate proactive alerts so IT administrators can quickly troubleshoot and prevent employee and device down-time, in the event of potential hard drive failures, security holes or battery failures for example
• Perform password and pin resets
• Enable IT management from the office or on-the-go

If the company uses HP devices, HP Touchpoint Manager can provide additional insights into hardware health and device warranty information. 

Offered through per user, per month subscription, HP Touchpoint Manager provides SMBs with more predictable IT costs and flexibility to accommodate changes in their business needs. The Basic version of HP Touchpoint Manager is currently free for the first six months, while the Pro version is available at a 50% discount for the same promotional period. SMBs can sign up here.

World Economic Forum launches first online leadership module for professionals

Registration is now open for the World Economic Forum’s first online leadership module for professionals – Global Information Technology Outlook. Designed for senior executives and accelerated leadership programmes, the six-week online module will provide a 360º perspective on the key emerging technologies that are transforming industry and societal landscapes.

Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, said: “Today, leaders are under increasing pressure to make sense of the complex, volatile and uncertain environment in which they operate. A key reason for this is the pace of technological change. Recognising this need, our inaugural Forum Academy module will help leaders by providing greater contextual awareness of the transformations underway in the area of information technology.”

The Global Information Technology Outlook module is designed to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the key emerging technologies driving change and their impact and draws on a cross-section of over twenty global industry leaders, top practitioners, technology pioneers and leading scientists. Topics discussed include robotics, artificial intelligence, big data and sensor networks.

The module will begin on 17 June through Forum Academy, the online global learning platform of the World Economic Forum which provides continuous leadership development and updating for professionals and organisations to enhance their strategic knowledge in a fast-changing world.

Forum Academy was launched during the Annual Meeting 2014 in partnership with edX, a non-profit initiative for online education created by founding partners Harvard University and MIT. Anant Agarwal, President of edX said: “EdX’s partnership with the World Economic Forum represents a shared goal to enrich the professional and leadership development of leaders around the world using next-generation technologies. We are excited that the Global Information Technology Outlook module is launching and believe that online learning is naturally suited to impart insights into the fast-paced, disruptive and strategic impact of global technology on business and society.”

For further information and to sign up for Forum Academy modules, please visit http://forumacademy.weforum.org

LinkedIn's Asia Pacific members mostly from tech, financial sectors

Need to reach a particular industry? You're in luck if you are looking for people in tech-related industries and would like to mine LinkedIn's professional network for the right audience targets. 

IT & Services is the top industry for Asia Pacific LinkedIn members, while Telecommunications, Computer Software, Semiconductors and Internet also appear.

Financial Services professionals are also easily reached through the LinkedIn network, according to the table below. The other industries in the top five regionally are Oil & Energy and Hospitality, but are likely highly represented in other countries in the region, rather than those shown.

 

Source: LinkedIn