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New Surveys Suggest Training Programs Provide Recruiting Advantage

TORONTO, Aug. 1, 2013 /CNW/ - Companies that invest in their employees' professional development have an edge when recruiting information technology (IT) professionals, new research from Robert Half Technology suggests. Sixty-eight per cent of IT workers surveyed said that the ability to acquire new skills in a role is very important when evaluating a job opportunity. Additionally, 64 per cent of respondents said they are very concerned about keeping their skills current in the next three to five years. However, in a separate Robert Half Technology survey, 80 per cent of Canadian chief information officers (CIOs) said their companies do not have training and development programs for IT professionals.

The IT worker survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis. The responses are from over 7,500 IT workers to a Web survey conducted by Robert Half Technology in February 2013. The CIO survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 270 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees.

IT workers were asked, "When evaluating a job opportunity, how important is the ability to gain new skills in that role?" Their responses:

IT workers were asked, "How concerned are you about keeping your skills current in the next three to five years?" Their responses:

CIOs were asked, "Does your organization have a training and development program for IT professionals?" Their responses:

"While IT workers value training and development programs, most employers have not yet made significant investments in this area," said Megan Slabinski, Canadian president of Robert Half Technology. "In a fast moving industry, building and retaining an internal team with hard-to-find technical skills is in every employer's best interest.  IT training and development programs can provide companies with a real competitive edge." 

Robert Half Technology offers employers three tips to help IT staff keep their skills sharp:

• Pay for relevant learning. Reimburse staff for online classes, educational conferences and courses offered by professional associations or local colleges. If employees seek (or already hold) industry certifications, consider reimbursing them for the costs they incurred in obtaining them.
• Be flexible. If your team members are expected to complete courses on their personal time, they may forgo training opportunities altogether. Be willing to make scheduling accommodations or adjust workloads when necessary.
• Look inside. If you simply don't have the budget to reimburse employees for continuing education expenses, tap internal subject matter experts. Hold brownbag training sessions so one employee can educate others on a particular topic. Mentoring arrangements are another proven and cost-efficient way to transfer knowledge and support skill development.

About Robert Half Technology
With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www.rht.com.

SOURCE Robert Half Technology