Dell and Microsoft lead Scots IT sector revival

A DOUBLE jobs boost for Scotland by North American technology giants Dell and Microsoft signals a revival in fortunes this year for those who supply IT services and products.

David Mitchell, a senior vice-president with Datamonitor, gave an upbeat analysis for 2011 to members of ScotlandIS, the country's trade body for software, IT and creative technology businesses.

Datamonitor predicts that this year will see the IT marketplace return to pre-recessionary levels. Other analysts agree, anticipating an increase in tech-related spending across all sectors of between 5 and 7 per cent, and noting that this is starting to show itself on the recruitment front.

Dell announced that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire SecureWorks earlier this month. Up to 30 IT graduate-level security developers and coders are being hired to help service European, Middle East and Africa operations, with more expansion in activity expected later this year.

Dell also plans to re-establish its Edinburgh operation which closed in May 2009, a casualty of a then beleaguered Scottish financial services sector that is expected to restart spending on IT.

SecureWorks' recruitment drive will bring its Scottish workforce close to 100, working closely with Dell's headquarters at City Park, Glasgow, where around 700 staff deal with sales and marketing support services.

Mike Cote, chairman and chief executive of SecureWorks, said: "Scotland offers us the opportunity to recruit high-quality people with the necessary IT skills to help drive forwards our specialist work throughout EMEA."

Eddie Chance, hired last December by SecureWorks as EMEA director, will drive partner and sales operations channel growth. The former vice-president for Oracle in Scotland and chief executive of Adventi struck out on his own 18 months ago but has now returned to the corporate fold.

Microsoft said it expects to build "in significant numbers" on an initial 40 young Scots IT apprentices recently completing their programmes through its ongoing work with Skills Development Scotland. Scottish director Derrick McCourt is in discussions with the software giant's 1,300-strong Scottish partner company network, urging them to tap into Microsoft's UK-wide "Britain Works" programme to help create 4,000 jobs.

Livingston-based Sysnet, a networking and mobility specialist and a Microsoft gold partner, recently recruited graduate Dawn Player to manage it social media interaction online.