In an era of shrinking budgets and cost-cutting measures, there’s one thing that’s predicted to grow significantly as the new year approaches: technology departments.

With more than half of hiring managers and tech recruiters anticipating a surge in adding staff in the first six months of 2011, it’s likely that most firms will have to take a hard look at their staffing levels to see if they can remain competitive and hang onto valuable workers.

This prediction is based on a recent study by Dice.com, the online technology staffing service.

Of the companies that say they’ll hire more:

• nearly half (45%) estimate they’ll boost staffing by at least 10%,
• another third expect staff increases of 11–20%, and
• 15% anticipate bringing in 21–30% more technology workers.

The top hiring priority for 2011: Developers of  java, .net, software, web and mobile are in the greatest demand.

There’s also strong demand for project managers, business analysts, business intelligence and SAP expertise. Also on the top 10 list of skills in demand: security analysts.

“Technology recruitment activity has strengthened all year creating more career opportunities for professionals. The tech epicenter may be Silicon Valley, but the increase in recruitment activity is geographically broad — and the rumblings from the valley on retention will echo across the country,” said Tom Silver,  senior VP of North America at Dice.

At the same time, finding technology talent is becoming harder.

Nearly half (46%) of hiring managers and technology recruiters say that filling positions now is taking longer than it did last year.

Six months ago, companies said they weren’t hiring because of uncertainty about the economy. Now the task is taking longer because companies can’t find qualified tech professionals.

Emerging shortages will guarantee more calls to technologists from headhunters, creating more pressure for businesses to match compensation offers and hang on to valuable staff.

Finance should take note that 29% of hiring managers and recruiters are paying higher salaries for new hires than they were last year.

Tags: Dice.com, hiring, IT, survey, technologists