IT sector faces growing skills mismatch, talent shortage

IT companies in the Philippines continue to face growing concerns of skills mismatch, gaps in education and training, and a diminishing pool of skilled IT professionals. While LinkedIn’s 2019 Emerging Jobs in the Philippines Report showed that the IT sector is a major contributor to the country’s economic growth, with IT-related jobs being some of the most in-demand in the country, IT firms still complain about the shortage of skills and the right talent. The report cited that the concentration of IT firms in the National Capital Region (NCR), even if there is significant available talent in other cities and provinces outside the NCR, further worsens the situation. The report highlighted the trend of IT professionals from the provinces who move to Metro Manila to find better opportunities but find that their skills do not match the job requirements. The flight to better opportunities also leaves IT startups and business process outsourcing companies in the provinces with a talent shortage, said the report. The Philippines’ premier IT job portal, ICTjob.ph, said it wants to help address the challenges, particularly talent recruitment, in the country’s IT industry. Fred Tshidimba, ICTjob.ph founder and CEO, said it is important for firms to hire employees with the right skills to cushion themselves from talent acquisition challenges and the impending talent shortage.