Some big companies are moving to fill IT positions on a temporary or contingent basis, an authority on hiring says.

Contractors and temporary labour has grown from 10 per cent of employment agreements in the IT arena five to 10 years ago, to 25 to 30 per cent today, according to Richard Earl from Talent International.

The company says it has not been helpful for workers though, with the lack of assurance and professional development clouding productivity and a distinct sense of disconnection felt amongst many employees.

Mr Earl says the figures tell the story: “The CBA (Commonwealth Bank of Australia) would have about 3000 technology staff in total and a thousand of those would be temporary or contract. It has been suggested in the next three to five years it could reach a 50-50 split and some parts of industry are already at that level... what has changed now is this big group of temporary workers who are really more like permanent staff but engaged on a temporary basis... I think some of these people are having to contract whether they like it or not because that is the only way they are getting work.”

Authorities also say the average pay rate for mid-level IT consultants across Australia was about $78 an hour, and had stayed about the same in the past year.