November 11, 2020

The Canterbury Tech Landscape

6 min read

In September 2020, Absolute IT released our Christchurch Regional Report, based on surveys conducted with job seekers and employers at the start of the year. This report offers plenty of fascinating insights into the motivations, opportunities and mindset of our IT/digital sector down in the South Island’s most populated city.

So, what are the takeaways from this report? What can job seekers do to find the best roles and meet the needs of a dynamic Canterbury tech market? We cover that all, right now.

The jobs that are in demand with little supply

While there’s a healthy demand and supply for software developers in Christchurch, there’s other areas where employers are desperate to find good talent but have struggled to find it. These areas include Digital & Cloud skills, Architects and most interestingly, Agile.

Those with digital and cloud skills like data security, artificial intelligence, DevOps, integration, serverless architecture such as that made possible with AWS should consider investigating roles within Christchurch, as based on our research there is a big disparity in the need for, and availability of high quality talent.

Business Analysts, with their critical thinking, assessment and communication abilities are still highly sought after, with our employers surveyed placing this skill demand as 3rd on our top 10 list. While not the same gulf of demand vs. supply as Digital & Cloud skills, Job Seekers’ skills indicated less availability of BAs than the market may necessarily need. What to take from this? Anyone with a BA background looking for a new role is encouraged to look around in Christchurch’s tech sector.

The Agile Opportunity

Agile is a skillset consistently in demand across New Zealand, albeit in the top 10. While a few years ago this capability demand was at its peak elsewhere in the country, Christchurch has seen Agile’s demand in 2020 skyrocket into the top 3 skills needed by employers.

Agile doesn’t feature in the top 10 list of skills held by job seekers in our survey, so this disparity should present an opportunity for professionals looking to enter into the market who do possess the necessary skill set. Interestingly, project manager skills in the region far outstrip the demand according to our employers surveyed. While having some fundamental differences to traditional PM roles, there is a possibility that a segment of project managers could have some experience or interest in building out their Agile skills. A pivot towards this non-linear, short burst style project management could open up more career opportunities.

Jobs with plenty of competition

Broadly, the tech industry in New Zealand doesn’t have enough experienced talent to go around. This is great news for those that do have the skills but makes it hard for businesses to progress at the rate they’d like. From our research, it was apparent that in almost all cases, there is as much demand if not more than the supply. The closest example of a 50/50 was in software development; a giant field consistently first in the list of demands and skills. In fact, the only example in our top 10 lists of supply outshining demand was the aforementioned Project Manager skills. This isn’t to say that there are no project manager roles available, but rather the options an employer has for this role is likely far greater than a systems architect for example.

It’s important to note that finding people management is no problem at all for the Canterbury IT sector, with management reported as the third most abundant skill by the workforce (and not even featuring in Employers’ top 10 skills list). More intermediate roles like helpdesk and admin also show as readily available, while Employers seemingly need more advanced, specialist roles filled.

Overseas talent not an option until things change

Before 2020, employers had the option of overseas talent to fill gaps in capability not available domestically. With the events of this year however, this has not been an option. Homegrown talent has the potential to be nurtured into these more senior roles, drawing upon existing experience combined with deliberate upskilling. For example an experienced Systems Engineer may have many of the elements needed for an Architect role, and, with the right support and time investment, have the potential to land the job.

At the time of writing, there’s no certainty as to when the world’s IT talent will be able to visit and move to New Zealand again. For now, Kiwis should make the most of the shortage, building their knowledge out as quickly as possible and keeping an eye on job listings in the region.

Employers need resource for their projects and growth

Our research of Employers told us that the main motivators for hiring new staff included 33% touting new projects and 20% with increasing IT demands of the business. This is very encouraging for the tech and digital professionals of Christchurch, as employment to resource these needs typically represents market growth (vs. replacement of departing staff).

This resource isn’t confined to permanent hires, with 26% of employers planning on engaging contractors to meet their needs. The advantage of a contractor hire for Employers is the expected immediate productivity given their experience and specialisation in a particular discipline. This reduces training and overhead cost, and de-risks the hire for the employer, being a hired resource for a very specific task, project or time period.

Job seekers – open your mind to the possibility of contracting, especially if you have expertise in specific areas. While there’s more to think about like paying your own tax and stringing together enough work over the year, the hourly rates can be excellent – although it’s worth noting the median contractor rate for tech in Christchurch is $85/hr – $11 under the national median of $96/hr.

Stability in tech and digital income during 2020

There’s a lot of ways people are describing 2020 – and stable probably isn’t one you’ve heard. So it might sound a bit surprising when we say that of all the industries to work in, IT is among the most stable in New Zealand (although not without its own challenges of course). IT and digital is a big part of the answer to a new world that demands remote communication, health & safety and continual improvement to our everyday lives.

The stability of the tech sector in Christchurch is clear from the salary levels maintaining or increasing through 2020 across roles.

Christchurch’s tech community

Living and working in Christchurch as an IT professional? You can connect with others in the industry through associations and meetups. Building a network of contacts at events like these is one of the best ways to become known and learn about the businesses that make up your local industry. You can get involved in a local hackathon – which doesn’t just introduce you to others, but showcases some of your expertise on a practical problem to solve.

The region is home to countless Kiwi companies’ head office, and the home of many global brands too. And if you’re looking to upskill with formal training and qualifications, the area offers excellent tertiary study options, too.

Looking for IT work in Christchurch?

If you’ve got tech skills that are in demand, our team can help find you roles in the Canterbury region – the perfect job might not be far away! Find out more about our Christchurch office here.

Absolute IT

November 9, 2020

Post-COVID tech skills that are in high demand

7 min read

For the years leading up to COVID-19 and New Zealand’s first lockdown, tech skills have been in shortage. Employers have continually been looking for specialised skills across IT to keep up with transformation and innovation. The skills shortage has driven upskilling, encouragement for students to choose tech as a field of study, and employers looking overseas for talent. New Zealand’s tech community has never been larger or indeed more diverse, with career development not just possible but practically required to support the breadth of technology needs across industries.

When the Level 4 Lockdown came into place late March 2020, our work life changed instantly. Tech staff worked from home, virtually meeting and accessing systems remotely. For many, this period revealed just how practical working from home was; many employers have opted to maintain remote working post lockdown for part of the week. And with our borders closed, immediate recruitment of IT skills will focus solely on homegrown talent. This presents a big opportunity for individuals with high-demand skill sets to leverage into excellent roles and salaries.

As businesses emerged from this lockdown and started to help rebuild the economy, technology continued to play an important role. COVID-19 looks to be an enduring challenge, shaping the ways we work for years to come. Let’s look at some roles that are becoming more important to support these new ways of working.

Cloud

Cloud computing, be it storage, networking, web-based software or server solutions has been rapidly growing over the 2010s as robust solutions like AWS take the load (and cost) off businesses otherwise relying on local infrastructure. While at one point the notion of the cloud came with concerns around security, the maturity of the industry has meant organisations can enjoy secure, fast and reliable cloud software, platform and infrastructure. The New Zealand Government has even outlined its preference for the agility of secure cloud-based solutions.

For many organisations, the cloud transition has not yet happened. This may be due to a number of reasons, such as the need for complete control over data and systems. For others, there’s simply not been a strong enough business case to make the switch. With COVID-19 sending a chunk of the workforce home to work, remote access to systems, data and communications is simply now a requirement. As organisations previously reliant on ‘in office’ staff make the transition, new opportunities are coming to market for IT professionals with cloud skills.

Given that COVID-19 was so immediate, many businesses are left exposed to incomplete remote working solutions. Cloud computing expertise from architecture to maintenance and even procurement can help these businesses close that gap, with clear understanding of business requirements and solution capabilities. Experienced Change Managers should also look out for opportunities relating to cloud/remote transitions as larger more complex organisations look for additional reassurance during the migration. Once in place, a business working in the cloud will require a range of disciplines to fully work ‘in the cloud’ including DevOps, programmers, database specialists, architects and of course security.

Security

Auckland has seen a significant increase in demand by employers for Security Architects, to build, test and maintain computer systems to ensure they are resilient and safe. Part of this senior, problem-solving role includes business continuity plans in the event of an unforeseen event – like a pandemic. The role of a security architect requires staying at the forefront of security standards and flaws within platforms and software, to help businesses protect against hacks and breaches.

This growing demand for security architects in Auckland (as well as Hamilton and Wellington) indicates that COVID-19 has surfaced the need for security architecture in preparation for potential long term remote working staff.

Staff working remotely does take some control away from the employer and their IT infrastructure team – home WiFi networks and internet connections the most typical of these. With some organisations mandating ‘work computers’ and a controlled suite of systems, risks can be reduced. A Security Architect will assess and design a remote working approach resilient to cyber attacks and educate the organisation on good security behaviours.

Along with security architects, NZs demand for expertise will extend to security analyst roles, in the areas of internet, network, cloud and mobile security.

Data

The management, analysis and protection of data collected or managed by businesses is a changing landscape with data being accessed from more places than ever. Business’ collection of customer data including contact tracing information will need to be protected by secure systems and handling practices. As large datasets are accessed and analysed outside of the office – at home or on the go – storage of data will need to be built to quickly and securely provide access. Organisations looking to make careful decisions will continually rely upon accurate data, particularly within an economy with less room for error. As such, we expect growth in data science, analyst and intelligence demand over the coming year. And as the shift to remote access continues, senior expertise in data repositories and warehousing will be needed to support infrastructure for a post-2020 industry.

Management of big data has steadily increased over the past decade, with new qualifications emerging to meet the market’s need. In a COVID-19 tech world, the data scientist will be even more important to make sense of new and changing customer data and behaviours

Virtual Project Management

But what about the people side of the tech sector? Arguably this area has been the most affected by COVID-19, with collaboration, sprints and stakeholder meetings all occurring virtually during lockdowns. The demand on project managers, product owners and delivery teams to keep communications high online has certainly required an adjustment.

Agile methodology has a number of rituals like stand ups that previously involves in-person contact; teams have found ways to replicate this digitally and benefit from the structure and organisation that Agile provides. This includes:

Online Kanban boards, e.g. Miro.
Video conferencing standups, e.g. Zoom meetings.
Reviews, reflection and retros.
Simplifying approach and comms.
Handling adaptation and scope changes.
Efficient, digital stakeholder management.
Keeping sprints delivering.

We’d suggest that project managers look to build a remote capability into their skillset and/or surface this within their application for roles as project managers, coaches, product owners and scrum masters who’ve adapted and thrived during lockdown could find themselves highly attractive to employers seeking a digital-centric approach to agile.

COVID-19 and our work behaviours

The lockdowns in New Zealand have been a test for Kiwis. We’ve found a level of flexibility and resilience in ourselves that we might have not otherwise known was there. Much like the country pulled together to eliminate community spread of the virus, many teams in businesses came together and problem-solved their way through large challenges.

COVID-19 showed us that when pushed, tech-centric companies can still function without working in close proximity. While of course we’d prefer to be in contact with our colleagues at least part of the week, the enforced remote working has opened the eyes of many employers when it comes to productivity and ‘working from home’. Some businesses have even made the decision to officially transition staff to part home, part office arrangements.

To see businesses provide flexible working arrangements as the norm has some exciting implications for the industry. We’ve learnt how to feel connected when working remotely, how to juggle children and work (most of us have probably met a few of our co-workers or clients’ kids on VC by now!) and how to produce great work without being in the building. And potentially now we may see smaller workplaces, making room for more businesses in our CBDs.

On the flipside, the risk of losing the work/life split by having everything at home shouldn’t be ignored. Without a commute to and from work, we may soak up that time and work late because it’s easy to. Employers and employees will have to work to maintain a healthy balance and keep to traditional start/finish times where possible.

The more remote and flexible working becomes standard, the greater need for talented tech staff to accommodate this without compromising the security or performance of NZ businesses. Homegrown talent with the expertise required by the market can expect to command a higher salary, particularly without the international job seekers able to apply until the global pandemic has been brought under control.

Are you someone with these skills?

We may have opportunities in high demand for you to take the next step in your IT career. Chat with our team who can help you leverage your skills and experience into a new role. Keep an eye on our IT Jobs section where you’ll find a broad range of roles at all levels. And if you require help getting your CV or Cover Letter ready, head over to our tips and advice section.