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Robert Half Technology survey finds 73 per cent of CIOs are confident in their companies' growth prospects for the first half of 2015

TORONTO, Dec. 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Seventeen per cent of Canadian chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed plan to expand their information technology (IT) teams in the first six months of 2015, according to the newly released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report.  This represents a three-point increase compared to the previous survey representing the third and fourth quarters of 2014. In addition, 67 per cent of CIOs plan to hire only for open IT roles, 12 per cent expect to put hiring plans on hold, and three per cent plan to reduce IT staff levels in the first six months of the year.

View the research highlights:

*Numbers may not total 100 per cent due to rounding.

"The current competitive hiring environment will continue into the first half of 2015 as the supply of highly skilled technology professionals remains below demand," said Deborah Bottineau, senior regional manager of Robert Half Technology. "Mobile, big data and security are the key areas driving hiring as IT departments expand in these areas. Companies with current openings in the areas of desktop support, wireless network management and Windows administration should consider acting with urgency to secure top talent as these skills are among those in greatest demand."

The hiring forecasts for the last half of 2014 and the first six months of 2015 are based on interviews with more than 270 CIOs from major Canadian markets who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook.

The surveys were developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. To ensure that companies from all segments were represented in the study, the sample was stratified by number of employees. The results were weighted to reflect the proper number of employees in Canada. Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis and has been tracking IT hiring activity in Canada since the 1990s.

Recruiting Challenges

As for recruiting technology talent, 50 per cent of Canadian CIOs said it is somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals. This is a 23 per cent increase compared to the previous survey. Technology executives believe it is most difficult to find skilled talent in consulting and systems administration (14 per cent), database management (12 per cent) and security (11 per cent).

Confidence in Business Growth and IT Resources

CIOs interviewed by Robert Half Technology continue to have an optimistic business outlook. Seventy-three per cent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident about their companies' growth prospects for the first half of 2015. This is nine points lower than the previous survey.

Nearly a quarter, (21 per cent) of Canadian technology executives said they expect their companies' IT budgets to increase for 2015. Fifty-nine per cent surveyed plan to expand their investment by up to 20 per cent; six per cent anticipate increasing their budgets between 21 per cent and 30 per cent, according to the Robert Half Technology survey.

Skills in Demand

According to 60 per cent of CIOs, desktop support is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Wireless network management followed with 59 per cent of the response and Windows administration at 58 per cent.

About Robert Half Technology

With more than 120 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 rht.com. Visit the Robert Half Technology blog at blog.rht.com, or follow us on twitter at twitter.com/RobertHalfTech.

SOURCE Robert Half Technology