The report is the result of a joint effort between ICSA and La Salle, with the collaboration of InfoJobs. In this regard, Dr. Francesc Miralles, director of the La Salle-URL School of Electronic and Computer Engineering, notes that while there is a high level of employment in specialties such as computer science, telecommunications, and multimedia, "this is hardly reflected in better pay." He adds that the importance of technology and its professionals to the economic activity of our country "should be recognized in different types of organizations, giving them a more prominent role in business management.".
As usual, salaries in the financial sector stand out from the rest, while, for example, construction—in deep crisis—has almost the same salary level as the IT sector. Besides finance, sectors such as industry and transportation also surpass the IT sector. Ernesto Poveda, president of ICSA Group and director of the report, emphasizes that "In Spain, IT professionals continue to be undervalued," confirming that "their limited presence on the governing bodies of organizations is alarming."
Industry Outlook:
One of the study's key and innovative aspects is the inclusion of a survey of over 800 professionals and managers in the sector. Despite acknowledging that the economic situation is significantly impacting the sector's outlook (86.4%), 63% of respondents foresee slight growth for 2014, and nearly 90% agree that the sector will generate new needs in the near future, requiring training to meet them (82.7%).
Jaume Gurt, CEO of InfoJobs, notes that "IT vacancies represent 17% of the total on our portal, making it one of the areas with the most job openings at present." He adds, "We have also identified some hard-to-fill positions such as Mobile Architect, ABAP Programmer, COBOL Programmer, and Java Architect, which could become excellent career opportunities."
