The main factor that blocks the faster development of the Romanian software industry is the lack of available human resources. This happens because the number of those who graduate technical specializations is too small compared to the market’s demand, according to representatives of the Employers’ Association of the Software and Services Industry (ANIS).

“Companies announce hiring intentions constantly, for short to medium periods (1-3 years). If we take into consideration only these public announcements, the estimations for next year exceed 5,000 new open positions in large companies. Most likely, the final number will get close to 9,000-10,000,” said Valerica Dragomir, CEO ANIS, cited by local Agerpres.

However, the annual number of graduates with technical specialization doesn’t exceed 7,000. As a result, the higher education system is not able to cover the demand, forcing companies to compensate by attracting employees with different qualifications, complementary to the technical ones.

According to ANIS, the industry tries to compensate the gap between offer and demand through various methods such as internship programs, scholarships, internal training programs, summer schools, and short-term training programs that aim to prepare the employees for entry-level positions.

Romania’s software and IT services industry is estimated to post an 11% higher turnover in the following three years, according to ANIS.

Romania’s IT sector posts record turnover

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com