Training for Aust IT contractors?

More than half the IT contractors surveyed for a recent Australian study said they had access to training from their employers.

The study, conducted by IT recruitment firm Candle ICT, found that 51 percent of the 1000 contractors surveyed had participated in, or had access to, training and professional development programs provided by their employers.

The top five most popular technical training programs listed by respondents were project management, software development, e-business, management and strategy, and e-learning.

Trevor Taylor, national manager for Candle ICT, said there was a trend towards on-the-job training.

However, Taylor cautioned that this needed to be balanced with hiring contractors who already had the relevant IT skills. "Hiring managers need to proactively forward plan with their agencies to ensure that additional training is not a requirement for the delivery of successful projects," he said.

The survey also found that 20 percent of respondents were actively encouraged by employers to take part in on-the-job training. Thirty-one percent of respondents had access to external training on an ad-hoc basis, according to a statement from Candle ICT.