Temporary IT recruiters could be in for an even tougher time, or so the results of a new report by Elan suggest.

According to the survey of HR and IT managers, some 95% would rather train their own staff in IT skills than hire contractors.

And if they do decide to employ contractors, firms tend not to offer them any training. Only 10% offer formal training to contractors compared to 85% who offer it to permanent employees, the survey claimed.

However, this increased focus on building skills in-house could have a positive impact on permanent IT staff recruitment, which would offset the loss of contractor business for agencies.

“From our perspective, if companies want to invest in people and give them more training that benefits us because it means more permanent recruitment,” commented Kris Smith, business development manager at IT recruiter Penta Consulting. “If a client wants to invest in training that’s also a good sell to a candidate.”

Smith added that many organisations still relied on contractors for rare skills or where a project required a quick turnaround.