It may seem odd to some, but there is one contingent of IT contractors that feel the public sector is soon to bring new freelancing opportunities their way.
IT contractors working either as freelancers or through umbrella service companies within the public sector have experienced a reduction in the number of roles made available this year, mostly due to the Government’s desire to reduce the number of contract workers employed either in council or government roles. However, there is still a contingent of IT professionals that the number of skilled IT workers the government will need over the next 12 months will increase, according to a recently conducted research survey.
The figures aren’t overwhelming – only 15 per cent of survey respondents reported having confidence in the public sector, but they have been growing. In a similar survey undertaken last year, only 8 per cent of interim IT workers believed the same, which means that the number of contractors with confidence in the public ector has nearly doubled in 12 short months.
The suggestion was made by he study that the public sector will begin to recover, returning to its place in the top three largest users of IT freelancing personnel. The top two areas where IT contractors are in the highest demand currently are the financial services sector and support roles.
Contractors have always been popular amongst the public sector due to their flexibility and their effectiveness in completing specific projects on time and under budget. Their ability to do so without increasing payroll as much as a permanent employee makes them doubly attractive.
