Brain drain rears its ugly head, as IT professionals take flight

That's chief among the findings of IT staffing specialist Computer People, which suggests that the UK's IT industry could be set to lose a huge chunk of its intellectual capital. The annual Computer People IT Salary Review report, which looks at trends in recruiting, remuneration and retention in IT, finds that disruptions to the employment landscape, due to the economic downturn, have led many IT workers to proactively change their careers. Computer People managing director Nick Dettmar suggests that the climate of uncertainty surrounding the recession has led many employees to look around for new opportunities. He points to the survey findings, which indicate that 92% of IT workers are either actively seeking work or at least keeping an eye on the job market. A number of permanent (39%) and contract (35%) workers also admit to considering a change in career, potentially compounding skill shortages. Says Dettmar: "The UK has faced an ongoing concern over skills shortages within the IT industry so losing further intellectual capital to other markets is a situation our economy cannot afford, especially as we look ahead to the prospect of economic recovery in the relatively short-term."