Anglo-Dutch software major LogicaCMG has announced that it will recruit more computer programmers from India and other parts of Asia because there is a lack of graduate talent in Britain.
The company already employs 2,300 programmers in Bangalore, a figure that is expected to rise to 3,000 by the end of the year. It is also planning to open a centre in the Philippines that will initially employ 200-300 programmers.
Chief executive Martin Read believes that the British education system may be failing some youngsters. Britain needs to produce more numerate graduates if the large companies are to keep their headquarters in this country, he said.
Speaking after Logica announced a 21 per cent fall in first-half pre-tax profits to 29.5 million pounds from 37.2 million pounds last year, Read said his company had intensified recruitment around the world to find skilled employees as demand for IT services grew.
Read said,"If we are going to go on being successful as an international company with our headquarters here in Britain, we need to have access to high-quality people. In a sense we are a great British success story because we are a major international IT services company that is listed and has got its headquarters here. But we need the raw material to go on being successful."
Read urged the government to create more incentives to become school science teachers and consider cutting the cost of a science degree.
{{/usCountry}}Read urged the government to create more incentives to become school science teachers and consider cutting the cost of a science degree.
{{/usCountry}}LogicaCMG recruits nearly 200 graduates every year in Britain but supplements its 29,505-strong employee base with sub-contractors, particularly in Britain and the Netherlands.