IT sector expansion continues in UK

Post date: Feb 02, 2017 10:18:34 AM

Uncertainty in the run-up to the general election had a mollifying effect on the growth of IT and digital jobs, but the forecast for the future of tech industry hiring is still bright overall, according to the latest edition of the quarterly KPMG/Markit Tech Monitor UK report.

Although many companies chose to put off staff hiring until after the general election, the slowdown in sector growth that occurred over the past few months appeared to be little more than a blip. In fact, more than half (55 per cent) of British tech enterprises said they anticipated business activity to rise over the next 12 months, while just 7 per cent expected a reduction during the same time period.

IT staff hiring goes from strength to strength

The latest rosy forecast builds upon five years of positive numbers: Since 2010, employment within the sector has expanded by almost 25 per cent, outpacing the growth rate of the British jobs market as a whole by approximately threefold. The latest KPMG estimates indicate that the industry directly accounts for at least 1 million jobs, including many digital jobs in London.

“Tech sector employment shows the significance of the sector in the 21st century where technology is all pervasive,” commented Tudor Aw, head of KPMG’s technology division.

Tech positions constitute one-fifth of UK’s ‘best jobs for 2015’

In light of the country’s robust tech sector expansion, it’s unsurprising that five jobs in the industry made it onto Glassdoor’s list of the U.K.’s 25 best jobs for 2015.

• • IT manager: Ranked sixth on the list, the role of IT manager involves overseeing companies’ tech projects. Its average base salary is £57,818.

  • Software engineer: Software engineers design and write software applications that help businesses run more efficiently and offer higher-quality products and services. This job was No. 10 on the list, and its average base salary is £40,400.

  • Solutions architect: These individuals create blueprints that their enterprises’ development teams can use to build software applications. Solutions architects have an average base salary of £66,349, and the occupation was 14th on Glassdoor’s ranking.

  • Network engineer: Earning an average base salary of £40,023, these professionals design, construct and maintain company networks. The job was No. 15 on the list.

  • UX designer: Coming in at No. 24, UX designers are responsible for building the user-facing components of a company’s offerings. They earn an average base salary of £47,437.

  • Finding skilled IT managers, software engineers, solutions architects, network engineers, UX designers and other types of tech professionals can seem like a tall order for companies, but IT recruitment agencies in London can help. These firms understand what types of abilities and expertise to prioritise during the search, as well as where to look for quality candidates.