IT contractors are set to benefit from continued investment into the private sector, while cuts have affected public sector demand, according to giant group. 

The specialist services provider’s latest analysis of its contractor database found that IT professionals believe there will be growing opportunities across the private sector in sectors as diverse as retail and transport over the next year. However, demand from the public sector is set to fall considerably, indicating that austerity and continued budget cuts have had an impact. Just 17% of contractors expect there to be more job opportunities within this area in the next 12 months. Matthew Brown, managing director of giant group, comments:

“We’re all aware of the cuts being made in the public sector and it seems as if these are beginning to take effect as fewer and fewer IT specialists believe there will be more opportunities here. However, it appears as if the slack has been well and truly taken up by the private sector with professionals reporting greater opportunities in sectors including transport, leisure and telecoms. This isn’t a particularly new trend – firms have been investing in their IT systems since the upturn in the economy – but it is encouraging and highlights that these businesses feel comfortable enough about their current status to take on experts in efforts to grow their organisations. While we would of course like to see greater demand stem from the public sector, it’s unlikely with the current austerity policy in place that this will change anytime soon.”