In high-tech hiring, training is more important than a degree, according to a survey to be released Tuesday.
Many information technology professionals can be trained to the specifics of a job and a company – whether they have experience in that niche or a degree focused on that corner of tech, according to a majority of 1,300 Atlanta IT area hiring managers polled by MDI Group.
“Hiring mangers value employer training more than undergraduate degrees or post-graduate skill certifications,” said John Hurst, managing director of MDI Group’s Atlanta office in a statement.
The majority of those surveyed said they think that skill sets are “transferrable” from other IT projects, he said.
Professionals in IT already have a lower unemployment rate on average than those in most other sectors and some employers have even said there are shortages of some skills. The survey concludes that companies are willing to accept job candidates who will need training to fill a particular need.
In contrast, in fields where there are deep pools of jobseekers, employers often much more selective, rejecting candidates unless their resume says they are ready to do the job right away.
The survey, conducted as part of the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Mobility Taskforce initiative, surveyed companies annual IT budgets of at least one million dollars. That initiative is aimed at improving the position of Atlanta as a center for mobile technology.
MDI Group is an IT staffing and recruiting company that works mostly with mid-sized to large companies.
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