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Lack of IT proficiency is short changing UK professionals

Executives who cower from computers and run scared from spreadsheets nowadays pay a hefty price for their technophobe tendencies.

Relying on colleagues to check your emails is no longer good enough according to new research from City & Guilds. The survey respondents, 208 recruitment consultants from across the UK, suggested that career progress can be dashed and pay rises slashed if professionals fail to master office technology - losing them an estimated £55,000 over their working life.

IT skills, the findings reveal, are fast becoming a prerequisite for the modern workplace, with half of recruitment consultants questioned claiming that employers are more likely to demand candidates with IT qualifications.

Marketing professionals are set to lose out the most if they fail to update their computing skills, with nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of recruiters stating that bosses within this sector prefer applicants with IT training.

Business services workers are also affected by this new demand, as more than a third (36 per cent) of those questioned claim that employers in this field also favour IT qualified candidates. And it would seem that it is not just the cut and thrust of the business world that has embraced the digital age - 59 per cent of those hiring for public sector organisations also favour new starters with IT ability.

Recruiters are increasingly recognising the benefits of IT and contemporary office skills, with more than three quarters (77 per cent) acknowledging that they boost productivity and nearly a third (31 per cent) placing priority on an IT qualification over industry knowledge. This is particularly relevant to the retail sector, with more than two fifths (45 per cent) stating that they regard IT as more important.

Despite lack of IT qualifications potentially harming salary and employment prospects, one in five recruitment consultants said candidates are failing to regard IT skills as critical to their career.

Those working in the leisure industry appear to be one of the groups that is most blind to this demand, with more than a third (35 per cent) failing to appreciate the benefits of an IT qualification. They are followed closely by travel workers (30 per cent), those working in engineering (29 per cent) and accountancy professionals (23 per cent).

Paul McCloskey, Senior Product Manager Business & ICT, at City & Guilds said: ‘We've been aware for some time that the need for IT knowledge is infiltrating the modern workplace and the research demonstrates that this demand is prevalent throughout different industry sectors. Employers are increasingly recognising that sound IT skills are a good investment; therefore, it's vital that people make sure they update their technical skills. Not only will this benefit their chances of employment, but it will also lead to a healthier pay packet'.

About the Research

The research was undertaken by City & Guilds The sample was selected at random amongst recruitment consultants across the UK. In total, 208 interviews were conducted by Turquoise anonymously by telephone during October 2003.

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