British data bosses fear mass retraining of key tech staff

Eight in 10 chief information officers at major British companies have voiced concerns about the need to re-train staff as technology progresses.

Seventy-eight per cent of data executives surveyed by Barclaycard worried about the need to continually provide tech staff with new skills, a report said today.

Almost 70 per cent of bosses said they view the need to retrain tech staff as a matter of critical or high importance.

Read more: Business must prepare for technological change

Additionally more than half of chief information officers feared they may not be able to recruit the necessary talent after the UK leaves the European Union.

The technology sector has become more diverse as international talent flocked to British shores, with 64 per cent of officers saying their team members are from a wider range of backgrounds than they were five years ago. Seventy per cent of those surveyed added that there are now more women on their teams.

Barclaycard chief information officer Keith Little said executives “know it’s not enough to simply hire skilled individuals”.

Read more: London named Europe's top destination for international tech talent

The research comes after London was found to be the top destination in Europe for international tech talent in February, winning the title for the second consecutive year.

The capital attracted more European and non-European tech professionals than any other major city on the continent last year, according to research by London & Partners.

London also came out on top in terms of established tech hubs, playing host to more developers than any other European city.