UK tech job listings up 42% compared to pre-pandemic figures

The number of advertised technology-related jobs in the UK is now 42% higher than it was before the pandemic in 2019, according to figures revealed as part of London Tech Week.

Data from online recruitment company Adzuna suggests that an investment boom in the UK's tech sector has led to a surge in hiring across the country, with some of the sharpest increases in places like Preston, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

UK startups and scaleups have raised £13.5 billion of investment over the first six months of 2021, according to Tech Nation data released at the start of London Tech Week.

There are currently more than 42,000 startups and nearly 10,000 corporate tech companies spread across the country, all "vying" for the industry's brightest talent, according to Adzuna.

"Companies from Cornwall in the South West to Dundee in the North are increasing their digital teams, from large multinationals to burgeoning startups," said Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna. "We're seeing an uptick in demand for non-tech roles at digital companies too as businesses scale up. The challenge will be ensuring there is enough skilled talent to go around."

Advertised digital tech roles across all UK cities are increasing year on year, up from just 19% in 2018 to 23% in 2020. Edinburgh was listed as the leading city for job adverts, with the number of tech-related roles up 30%.

The Scottish capital is closely followed by Reading and Glasgow, with 29% and 28% of all opportunities across the respective cities being tech-based.

Preston, Lancashire, however, has emerged as a tech hub to watch, with a 53% increase in digital roles since 2018. Around 12,600 new businesses were started in the area in 2020, more than anywhere else in the country.

'Software developers' were consistently listed as one of the most in-demand roles across the country, while a junior developer can command a salary of around £27,500, according to Adzuna. 'Data scientists' were also seen as an essential role for organisations due to the increasing need for businesses to extract, analyse, and interpret large amounts of data.