Lack of software engineering talent 'could derail London’s Tech City'

[AtW]

Venture capital, corporations, media and government are aligning with an unprecedented deployment of will and resources to build a world-class technology cluster in East London with aspirations to challenge Silicon Valley. But we are still sadly lacking in at least one absolutely essential component: a concentration of software engineering talent.

For years, the City of London has been a base for technology jobs. However, most of those roles have been focused on enterprise-class computing systems for large companies, rather than jobs geared towards the digital media landscape of 2012 and beyond.

While there’s much talk of building the next Google or Facebook in London it’s no coincidence that engineers created both of those companies. Existing technology companies, the biggest dogs in this fight, must do everything in their power to back young tech talent.

According to Ingenious Britain, a Sir James Dyson-led study into the state of technology skills, it is time to move away from “fixed policy notions about innovation occurring in only universities and being financed solely by venture capital”.

“Instead the focus must be spurring enterprise and innovation to develop the next generation of wealth creators – high tech companies and entrepreneurs, across all sectors,” the report said.

More from the source: Lack of software engineering talent 'could derail London’s Tech City' - Telegraph

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The Cons better drop Lib Dems and CGT

[SueEllen]

There is a lack of willingness to pay people properly.

You pay people properly and you won't have a problem getting people from the UK and around the EU flocking here to work.

[AtW]

There is a lack of willingness to pay people properly.

Define properly.

[SueEllen]

Define properly.

£20-25K per year for someone with 2 years experience to live in London.

[AtW]

£20-25K per year for someone with 2 years experience to live in London.

And software developers with 2 years experience can't find jobs paying that much in London?

[eek]

£20-25K per year for someone with 2 years experience to live in London.

I take it that's what they want to pay not what anyone with a clue would accept as appropriate pay.

[AtW]

I don't think such companies will have a problem paying £20-25k per year, or £35-40k per year for experienced person.

They might have problem paying £500+ daily rates however and they have to compete with people who can afford it (ze City).

[eek]

I don't think such companies will have a problem paying £20-25k per year, or £35-40k per year for experienced person.

They might have problem paying £500+ daily rates however and they have to compete with people who can afford it (ze City).

But if that is the going rate for a decent engineer its the going rate. The real problem with the hub is going to be getting techies who are interested in working for start-ups. Why take the risk when you can easily earn decent money working shorter hours elsewhere.

[Sysman]

But if that is the going rate for a decent engineer its the going rate. The real problem with the hub is going to be getting techies who are interested in working for start-ups. Why take the risk when you can easily earn decent money working shorter hours elsewhere.

There's a startup next door. The CEO is 30, all his staff are younger, and he pays just over half what they could probably get in the financial institutions here. They are probably doing much more interesting stuff though.

[AtW]

But if that is the going rate for a decent engineer its the going rate.

It might be your going rate but if business can't earn enough to afford such developer then it won't hire such developers and they'll either have to get job in place that pays is or adjust their market expectations.

260 (working days a year) x £500 = £130k cost to business, that's very high and very few businesses can afford such expense even if the person in question is Einstein. I'd rather hire 3x £40k good developers working in a permanent basis in a team.