New data on tech career options and the importance of digital skills for all workers
LONDON – Employment opportunities for technology professionals continue to grow throughout the United Kingdom and the importance of digital skills are on the rise for all workers, research from CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the tech industry and workforce, reveals.
This year UK net tech employment is projected to grow by 1.7%, or about 35,000 net new workers, according to CompTIA’s “State of the Tech Workforce UK” report. Net tech employment totaled more than 2.1 million at the end of 2023, 6.4% of the overall UK workforce.
A second CompTIA report, “Workforce and Learning Trends,” finds that for 74% of UK employers digital literacy skills among their workers are becoming more important. Companies are also seeking digitally fluent workers, individuals with the ability not simply to use technology but who can identify which tools are effective to achieve a particular business outcome and can suggest innovative approaches as their job evolves.
“Digital fluency is an especially sought-after attribute in today’s business environment, where companies increasingly rely on proprietary software and third-party tools,” said Jason Moss, CompTIA senior vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “More and more employers are prioritizing job candidates who can get up to speed on these new tools quickly.”
UK organizations are most interested in building digital literacy in data and analytics (67% of respondents), cybersecurity (66%), artificial intelligence (64%), hardware, devices and peripherals (62%) and applications (61%). Nine in 10 UK companies intend to increase or maintain spending on staff training and development in the year ahead.
Tech workforce expansion
UK employers expect to add tech workers this year, with 72% of firms indicating an intent to increase staffing. Since 2018, tech employment across the UK has increased by an estimated 195,085 net-new jobs. The software and custom development sector accounted for the largest share of growth (+ 74,234 positions). Network and telecommunications engineering occupations grew by 12.5%, the largest increase on a percent change basis between 2018-2023.
At more than 7%, London, Edinburgh and Leeds have the highest concentration of net tech employment as a percentage of their overall employment bases. Net tech employment accounted for approximately 6.4% of the overall UK workforce in 2023. Though women represent approximately 49% of the total UK workforce, they are underrepresented in the tech workforce, holding only 21% of tech occupations.
Tech jobs continue to command a pay premium with an estimated median annual salary of £44,949, which is 52% higher than the prevailing median wage across the labour market. The tech industry’s contribution to the UK economy is estimated at £82.6 billion.
