The launch of the iPhone last month is likely to push demand for mobile phone software engineers even higher, according to William Webb, professor of communications at the University of Surrey and the author of Wireless Communications: The Future.

Professor Webb says that while there is demand for all types of engineers across the mobile phone industry, the greatest demand is likely to be for software engineers as we move towards more user-friendly intelligent phones.

He predicts that over the next 10 to 15 years our phones will become “indispensible personal butlers” that will wake us up, hold our diaries, navigate us to meetings, contain smart Oyster-type payment systems, hold our security details and be one of our main entertainment providers. The technology already exists for this “gentle revolution” that will require an army of software engineers.

“The shortages are such that we are seeing big companies taking over smaller companies for their engineers. If I was to place a bet on a sound career for the future it would be a software engineer for mobiles. The salaries are pretty good and there is a fair amount of job satisfaction,” he says.

A survey by the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (Atsco) suggests that the shortage of mobile software development skills has driven contractor salaries up by 16 per cent in the past 12 months.

The growing popularity of third-generation (3G) mobile services has increased hourly rates for content developers from £37 to £43. The most acute shortages are for developers for wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and .mobi.

Ann Swain, the chief executive of Atsco, says: “The BlackBerry phenomenon is generating huge demand for software developed for business mobiles. The Apple iPhone could do the same for the consumer market as software developers look to build iPhone compatibility into forthcoming releases.” She adds: “The iPhone is likely to lead to significant rate increases for software developers skilled in creating websites for 3G devices. Most websites cannot be viewed on wireless devices, but the iPhone is likely to kick-start the process of developing mobile-specific web content in earnest.”

Margaret Sambell, the head of strategy for e-skills UK, agrees. She says that one of the key trends in the mobile sector is the convergence of telecommunications, internet and media.

This trend is driven by the demand from so-called Generation C users (that’s C for connected) – 16 to 25-year-olds who have grown up texting and want to use their phones for social networking and to upload videos and music.

Who else will be needed in the sector? “We need a lot more systems and network managers to support the insatiable desire for anytime, anywhere, anyplace services,” Sambell says. And the child benefit data debacle last week is a reminder that security will always be a big issue, she adds.

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