North West has more tech sector roles available than other part of the UK outside London and the South East, according to new data by smarter job search engine Adzuna analysed by Tech Nation for the UK’s Digital Economy Council.

Since the start of 2022, more than 40,000 tech job opportunities have been advertised in the region, meaning that 12% of all available jobs in the region are in the fast-growing tech sector. 

Strong North West tech hiring is unveiled as the number of tech job opportunities across the country has hit a 10-year high, following soaring demand for tech products and services over the past two years. 

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: 

“The UK is enjoying a golden age in tech. Not only are we one of the best places in the world to start digital businesses, but there are countless opportunities for people to enter the sector and flourish in their career.

“We’re working hard to open doors for people from all walks of life so that they can gain the skills and knowledge needed to make the most of our booming tech industry.”

There were around 870,000 tech and digital job vacancies available across the whole UK between January to May 2022, the highest number ever recorded since Adzuna began collecting data in May 2012. Since April, the number of open roles has adjusted down slightly (-1.59%) but hiring continues to remain 42% higher than in 2021. The increased availability of digital and tech-related roles has come as the UK tech sector continues to expand across the country.

The UK is the third-largest tech ecosystem in the world, with tech companies across the country raising £12.4 billion in venture capital funding this year to date, more than the whole of 2020 (£12bn). Cities including London, Bristol and Oxford ranked in the top 20 European tech hubs for funding this year, reflecting the increased role of tech in our everyday lives.

While some tech companies have signalled plans to cut staff numbers, the tech sector as a whole continues to grow, in part due to the rapid rise of adoption of digital tools and services by organisations and enterprises that began during the pandemic.

Roles for software developers continue to remain the most in-demand by companies, while there has also been a strong uptick in hiring for security roles by companies that are adapting to business challenges.

or every “no experience” tech and digital role advertised, there are approximately eight senior roles available, despite the fact there are more STEM graduates in the UK than there are entry-level roles in the industry. This demonstrates that on-the-job training and upskilling are essential to ensure businesses have the digital skills they need to succeed. 

According to a survey carried out by Tech Nation and YouGov, 64% of people who work in UK tech said that having tech skills was essential for job security. As well, 26% believe that upskilling themselves in new digital or tech skills will allow them to earn more in the future. Of the 16% of respondents who picked up a new tech skill since the pandemic, people have chosen to learn coding or cloud technologies, whilst others have learned data visualisation skills.

Employees choosing to upskill themselves is only one part of the equation. Companies that focus on on-the-job training for future developers and tech leaders such as London-based Multiverse and Manchester-founded Academy are continuing to grow to help increase the talent pipeline. Tech companies including Amazon and Google have also launched digital skills programmes to train employees across the UK. 

There are nearly 5 million people working in UK tech startups and scaleups, with regions across the UK enjoying strong hiring growth for tech and digital positions. The North West has more tech opportunities than any other region in the UK outside of London and the South East, with over 40,000 available jobs this year – an increase of 50% on last year’s figures. The devolved nations have been enjoying increased interest in their respective tech industries recently. Northern Ireland has seen its tech job opportunities increase to nearly 20% of all available vacancies, to 5,079 in Q1 2022, whilst Scotland has seen its tech vacancies rise to 13% of all available vacancies so far in 2022.

Dr George Windsor, Data and Research Director at Tech Nation, said: “The UK is continuing to be the leading light for tech in Europe and the scale of exciting job opportunities across the country is a reflection of that. It’s interesting to see how companies are responding to changing challenges, such as the rise in the demand for data skills and an increase in security skills across the board. It’s not just technical skills that can make a difference – but communication and management experience are increasingly important too. For anyone looking to enter this fast-paced and innovative industry, there is a role for you if you want it.” 

Paul Lewis, chief customer officer at Adzuna, said: “UK tech has consistently been one of the fastest-growing industries for job opportunities over the past few years as companies compete for skilled staff to enable them to grow in a competitive environment. Though we are starting to see the impact of the wider slowdown begin to affect the wider tech landscape, the rapid rise in digital tools and services since 2020 means that roles for software developers remain the most in-demand by companies across the board. Security specialists are also in hot demand as companies adapt to changing business challenges like increased cyber threats.”

 

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