IT employment levels hit a record high

The latest issue of the e-skills Bulletin, the definitive source of information about ICT labour and skills in the UK, shows that the number of UK based IT professionals rose for the third consecutive quarter to an estimated 1,093,000 people. This is the highest ever recorded, and means IT professionals now account for 4% of the total UK workforce.

e-skills UK research published in March 2011 shows that, for the first time since 2008, there were more IT jobs advertised than there were people to fill them: in Q3 2010 the number of positions advertised reached 101,000. And at the same time the unemployment rate for IT staff fell to just 3.1%, compared with 8.3% for the workforce as a whole.

With demand so high in such a critical sector, it’s of little surprise that, despite the current economic downturn, employers are crying out for yet more highly-skilled, well qualified professionals. Demand is typically for those with high-level technical skills. And with the UK IT industry predicted to require another 500,000 new entrants over the next five years this trend can be expected to continue

With demand for highly-skilled staff so high, it is essential for people working in IT, or looking to enter the IT industry, to acquire, update and develop the appropriate skills. As technology progresses and the IT industry grows, people vying for the top jobs will have to show that they’ve got what it takes to effectively compete in the job market.

The National Skills Academy for IT gives subscribers unlimited access to over 1,000 courses from bite-size chunks to the knowledge needed for major certifications, ensuring that there is something to suit the needs of every current and aspiring professional.

Find out more about a Skills Academy subscription