IT Skills Gap: CIO Headache, Channel Opportunity

thumbnail IT Skills Gap: CIO Headache, Channel Opportunity

Digital skills IT Skills Gap: CIO Headache, Channel Opportunity CIOs are looking to outsource IT to gain access to skills they don’t have in-house; this opens up key opportunities for IT solution providers. Skills Shortfall 65% of CIOs believe a shortage of talent will prevent their organizations from keeping up with the pace of change, […]

Written By: Gina Roos
Jun 8, 2016
Channel Insider content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Digital skills

1 - IT Skills Gap: A CIO Headache, Channel OpportunityIT Skills Gap: CIO Headache, Channel Opportunity

CIOs are looking to outsource IT to gain access to skills they don’t have in-house; this opens up key opportunities for IT solution providers.

2 - Skills ShortfallSkills Shortfall

65% of CIOs believe a shortage of talent will prevent their organizations from keeping up with the pace of change, a 10% increase in 12 months.

3 - In-Demand SkillsIn-Demand Skills

Nearly four in 10 (39%) of CIOs said data analytics is the most in-demand skill for the second consecutive year, followed by project management (32%) and business analysis (28%).

4 - Going DigitalGoing Digital

The biggest increase in skill demand is digital, up 21%, and security, up 17% from last year.

5 - Bigger BudgetsBigger Budgets

Less than half (45%) of CIOs said their IT budgets are increasing. However, 59% said they are being held back on innovation due to a lack of resources or funding.

6 - Outsourcing ITOutsourcing IT

50% of CIOs will increase investment in outsourcing this year, and 44% will increase offshoring activity in 2016. What’s more, 12% sourced half or more of their staff through flexible or contingent contracts.

7 - Freeing Up ResourcesFreeing Up Resources

51% of CIOs see outsourcing primarily as a tool to free up resources to focus on their companies’ core business, up from 46% in 2015.

8 - Sourcing for SkillsSourcing for Skills

45% outsource to gain access to skills not available in-house, up from 41% last year.

9 - Staff ConcernsStaff Concerns

Despite the skills shortage, 44% of CIOs expect to increase their teams’ size next year, while 89% are concerned about talent retention.

10 - Changing FocusChanging Focus

While 63% of respondents say CEOs focus on IT projects that make money, 37% say the CEO “is more interested in IT predominantly being used as a cost-saving tool,” the study said.

11 - Focusing on Focusing on “As a Service” Solutions

For this year, 31% are planning a significant investment in SaaS, 25% in IaaS and 20% in PaaS solutions. In the next three years, CIOs plan to ramp up investments in all three cloud service platforms.

Recommended for you...

Video: Why Women Are Leaving Tech – And How BouncePoint Plans to Stop It

Belinda Yax founded BouncePoint to bring women back to tech jobs and make it easier for them to stay and thrive.

Katie Bavoso
May 2, 2025
Video: Davin Jackson: The Cheat Code To A Career In Cybersecurity

Get to know eSecurity Planet’s Davin Jackson and his mission to be the change he wants to see in cybersecurity.

Katie Bavoso
Jan 23, 2025
The IT Job Market in 2024: MSPs and MSSPs in Review

The IT job market is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and increasing reliance on digital solutions. What does this mean for MSPs and MSSPs?

Jordan Smith
Jan 7, 2025
Video: The Three Pain Points Holding Back High Capacity Leaders

IT Channel executive turned executive coach shares the tools to become a better leader.

Katie Bavoso
Jul 25, 2024
Channel Insider Logo

Channel Insider combines news and technology recommendations to keep channel partners, value-added resellers, IT solution providers, MSPs, and SaaS providers informed on the changing IT landscape. These resources provide product comparisons, in-depth analysis of vendors, and interviews with subject matter experts to provide vendors with critical information for their operations.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.