IT industry bemoans skills barrier

16:05 24th June 2008

Many small businesses in the IT industry are struggling to expand due to a lack of qualified staff, a new report has claimed.

More than a quarter (26 per cent) of smaller firms questioned by internet service provider Star revealed that they are struggling to find the right people to fill their IT vacancies.

As a result, these companies are unable to enjoy the online growth experienced by many of their larger counterparts.

The study also revealed that 43 per cent of modestly sized enterprises are turning to virtualisation technologies as a cheaper alternative to mainstream enterprise systems.

"Small and medium-sized businesses want the same level of support that is extended to enterprise customers and are prepared to choose lesser known suppliers that deliver this," observed Ben White, chief executive of Star.

Virtualisation works by allowing businesses to run 'virtual' machines on the same hardware, thus cutting down on equipment costs.

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