IT Talent Gap Grows with Tech Roles Second Hardest to Fill Globally

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers are experiencing the most acute talent shortage since 2007, with IT Staff ranking among the top in-demand roles globally, second only to Skilled Trades. This is according to the 2016 Talent Shortage Survey, released today by ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN).

IT has jumped seven places in the global ranking since last year, the greatest change of any sector measured, pointing to strong demand for tech skills across the global economy. Demand is strongest in Asia Pacific, where IT roles now rank as the top most difficult to fill for the first time in a decade, but has grown steadily across all other regions as well.

The talent shortage is driven, in part, by changes to skills requirements with employers increasingly needing more specialized skillsets. Nearly one in five report that applicants do not have the relevant experience required, while another one in five employers list lack of technical skills as the root of the problem.

"These findings mirror what we are seeing in our own business: there is a growing market for IT skills across a wide range of industries," said Sean Costello, Senior Vice President of Experis North America, the professional resourcing and solutions arm of ManpowerGroup. "In the U.S., our own data shows the most sought-after IT workers are project managers, business analysts, and Java and .Net developers. It's clear that while technology is creating new opportunities and new ways of working, the workforce is still catching up with changing skills needs. In this environment, continued learning and skills development have never been more important."

View complete 2016 Talent Shortage survey results: www.manpowergroup.com/talentshortage 
Of the 42,300 employers surveyed, the hardest jobs to fill remain Skilled Trade Workers for the fifth consecutive year. Sales Representatives, Engineers, Technicians and Drivers all slip one ranking, third to sixth respectively, and Office Support Staff falls two places to the tenth position. Production and Machine Operations also become harder roles to fill as they move from tenth to ninth when compared with 2015.

Global Top 10 Roles Employers Are Having Difficulty Filling

1. Skilled Trades
2. IT Staff
3. Sales Representatives
4. Engineers
5. Technicians
6. Drivers
7. Accounting & Finance Staff
8. Management / Executive (Management/Corporate)
9. Production Operators/Machine Operators
10. Secretaries, PAs, Receptionists, Administrative Assistants & Office Support Staff

For more details on the talent shortages around the world, including an interactive data explorer tool, infographics, videos and thought leadership articles, visit ManpowerGroup's Talent Shortage web page at www.manpowergroup.com/talentshortage.

About Experis
Experis™ is the global leader in professional resourcing and project-based solutions. Experis accelerates organizations' growth by attracting, assessing and placing specialized expertise in IT, Finance and Engineering to deliver in-demand talent for mission-critical positions and projects, enhancing the competitiveness of the organizations and people we serve. Experis is part of the ManpowerGroup family of companies, which also includes Manpower, ManpowerGroup Solutions and Right Management. To learn more, visit www.experis.com.

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70 years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com

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SOURCE ManpowerGroup