UK firms’ quest to adopt artificial intelligence, automation, blockchain and Internet of Things strategies is driving the tech recruitment market to new heights, with the sector set to account for nearly 2 million jobs in the next 12 months.
According to a new report released by nonprofit association the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), job growth last year was slower than expected as the UK continued to navigate through the pandemic, but the tech industry avoided the job losses that hit many other sectors.
Nearly 20% of all tech job postings in 2021 were for positions in emerging technologies such as AI and automation or jobs requiring skills in those areas.
Most tech workers (591,335 employees) are tied to employers in IT consultancy and services, such as managed services providers. Other industry sectors that are well represented include telecom, data processing and web portals (269,336); software and custom development (232,965); and tech manufacturing (109,868).
There are 188,812 tech firms with payrolls across the UK, with 44,831 tech business establishments in London. Other markets with strong tech sectors include Manchester (6,408 tech companies), Bristol (3,847) and Birmingham (3,129).
The top four metropolitan areas (London, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow) are home to more than 572,500 tech industry and tech occupation workers, or about 1 in 3 tech workers in the region. Birmingham saw the highest increase in net tech employment year over year.
CompTIA executive vice president Graham Hunter said: “The tech industry is worth £82.6bn to the UK economy, and the evidence is clear: a well-trained and certified tech workforce makes a significant impact on the nation’s economy.
“Businesses of all sorts will need more skilled workers if we are going to maintain the growth resulting from the ongoing digital transformation efforts that accelerated during the pandemic.”
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