London Olympics to create 5,000 IT jobs

[Clippy]

Poppycock or true?

Figures seem excessive to me.

The Olympic Games coming to London in 2012 will create more than 5,000 IT and telecoms jobs, generating more than £250m for the UK IT recruitment sector.

Issuing the figures, IT recruiter Greythorn said its research confirmed an unprecedented level of infrastructure and technology services will be needed over the course of the Games.

This will require IT staff not only in the construction, hospitality and retail sectors, but also to support the event’s security, data and media operations, the firm said.

Turning to its projections, the company said that if 5,000 IT jobs are created, as it estimates, with an average salary of £48, 560 per role, then the earnings will exceed £250m a year.

“The IT and telecoms infrastructure required to host the Olympics will leave a significant high-tech footprint on the UK labour market,” said Paul Winchester, managing director.

“Before the Olympics begin, emergency service lines need to be secured, WiFi coverage needs to be expanded and measures must be taken to prevent cyber attacks.”

Greythorn says demand for skilled IT and telecoms workers is already increasing, and claimed that 5% of the UK’s 29million workers currently have a job in either of the sectors.

“[And with] government forecasts suggesting 103,000 permanent jobs will be created by the Games,” Mr Winchester added, “our estimate may be on the conservative side.”

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I was reading this the other day.... Here is what I am hoping:

1) IT grads/permies flock to the olympics jobs

2) Higher demand for permies

3) Higher demand for contractors

4) Higher rates for us

5) Retire in 5 years time...

[SueEllen]

Or more likely like with construction they will claim there is a skills shortage in the country so all the jobs will go to bobs at £20K each.

[Scrag Meister]

I don't know if Greythorn are a PLC or not but reads like a business update about how much cash they will be making cos of the Olympics.

I'd take it with a serious pinch of salt.

[SueEllen]

I don't know if Greythorn are a PLC or not but reads like a business update about how much cash they will be making cos of the Olympics.

I'd take it with a serious pinch of salt.

They are part of the Five Ten Group -
Five Ten Group - Our Business

[perplexed]

Hmm.

Well, the last Olympics did feature a BSOD - wonder if they'll be looking for Linux guys this time

[thunderlizard]

There were probably 4 or 5 involved in fixing that big clock in Trafalgar Square.

I don't know to how high standards of academic rigour "IT recruiter Greythorn" carried out its "research". But wouldn't you have thought they'd have kept it quiet and gone about cornering the market, rather than let their competitors in on the juicy secret?

What, you think it's just an opportunistic attempt to get their name out, and maybe heat up the market with some speculation? ooh, you cynic you.

[dspsyssts]

Sounds like a job or two for Wipro, there is a skills shortage of IT professionals in this country and with full employment the only option is to advertise these positions in India.

[stek]

Hmm.

Well, the last Olympics did feature a BSOD - wonder if they'll be looking for Linux guys this time

Think it might be preferable to use proper proven enterprise Unixes rather than ToytownOS. I work in a Sol/AIX/HP-UX/Linux enterprise and Linux blows chunks really. We had a Linux free for all a year or two back and now it's all being replaced, not-scalable, crappy clustering, distro-mania, even the ILO's are almost unusable.

[PAH]

I've done a couple of contracts via Greythorn in the past, though over 5 years ago now, so might give them a bell if I find myself needing a new contract soon. I should be on their 'preferred supplier' list.


Does read more like a PR stunt to drum up business, probably hoping people flood them with CVs (and two references ) thinking they have all this work lined up.