CompTIA: Companies Devote More Resources To IT Spend, Hiring
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
As information technology solutions become increasingly important for determining the success of businesses, companies are devoting more and more resources to IT spending and hiring, according to a study by CompTIA, the IT industry association.
The association’s International Technology Adoption and Workforce Trends Study found countries around the globe are projecting strong increases in their IT spending over the next 12 months, with 23 percent reporting an anticipated 10 percent or more increase in that spending.
Globally, India led the way for largest increases, with an estimated 6.9 percent increase in IT spending on average in 2015. Brazil (6.8 percent), Malaysia (6.7 percent), Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (all at 6.6 percent), and South Africa (6.5) rounded out the top spenders. Meanwhile, North American expenditures fell a little short of those figures, with U.S. companies averaging 5.4 percent increases for 2015 and Canadian companies 5.3 percent.
“Businesses increasingly rate IT as a critically important factor to their success,” explained Tim Herbert, vice president, research and market intelligence, CompTIA. “They view technology as the primary contributor in their ability to meet key strategic priorities, whether it’s reaching new customers, controlling costs, improving productivity or becoming more innovative.”
The study also found an accompanying anticipated rise in IT hiring, as demand increases for IT professionals with the proper training and experience. “There is no quick fix to addressing skills gaps,” said Amy Carrado, director, research and market intelligence, CompTIA. “Building and maintaining talent requires a concerted effort, resources, and time.”
The study found that 48 percent of companies anticipate IT hiring during 2015, with the strongest estimates coming from large organizations (57 percent) and in countries with maturing economics (63 percent).
Of course, innovation also provides challenges along with opportunities, and just 15 percent of companies surveyed stated that they were where they wanted to be with technology utilization. An additional 41 percent said that they were “close,” but that still leaves a large percentage of companies that could use assistance with their technology utilization goals.
The complete report is available at no cost with a simple registration here.