Technology 2021 Review: New IT jobs beat 2018 record as UK tech receives record investment
- Annual tech report shows IT vacancies up 105% year-on-year in England and Wales
- TMT firms published more IT jobs in 2021 than the whole of the UK in 2020.
- Amazon slips from 2nd to 4th for new IT jobs, rapid growth at DXC, GGI & Advanced
- London IT jobs up 121%, labour market share rises 3.1 points to 47.6%
The number of tech jobs in England and Wales reached record levels in 2021, with tech firms publishing more IT vacancies in the last year than all British businesses combined did in 2020, a new labour market report says.
According to global recruitment consultancy Robert Walters and data analytics firm Vacancysoft, there were over 12,800 new vacancies for IT professionals in 2021, a rise of 105% year-on-year, and 57.3% more compared to the previous annual high set in 2018.
As more money than ever flowed into UK tech last year — with the sector raising £29.4 billion in 2021, up from £11.5 billion in 2020 — technology, media and telecoms (TMT) companies accounted for 53.8% of all new IT vacancies in England and Wales, up 3.5 percentage points year-on-year and nearly 10 points higher than 2018.
James Chaplin, CEO, Vacancysoft, said: “The data reflects how demand for innovative tech and digital infrastructure from UK consumers and business soared in 2021 as restrictions still kept people largely at home and working remotely. It’s no coincidence that in the first week of 2022 Apple announced it became the world’s first $3 trillion company.
“Tech companies in the UK will expect sales, investment and headcount to grow this year. But it looks unlikely this unprecedented growth in new jobs can be maintained — especially if the industry’s call for the government to provide greater support for R&D, better training and improved access to talent goes unheeded.”
Amazon slips from 2nd to 4th for new IT jobs, rapid growth at DXC, GGI & Advanced
The firm with the most IT vacancies in 2021 is JPMorgan, publishing over 2,600 new jobs for IT professionals, a 107.3% year-on-year increase. With modest growth of 61.4% year-on-year, Amazon falls from second to fourth place in the table.
Top firms, professional IT vacancies, England & Wales, 2020-2021
| # | +/- | Company | Sector | 2020 | 2021 | YOY (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | JPMorgan | Investment Finance | 1286 | 2666 | 107.3 |
| 2 | ⬆ | Sky | Media Broadcasting / Publishing | 909 | 2171 | 138.8 |
| 3 | ⬆ | Version 1 | Software & Computer Services | 709 | 1987 | 180.3 |
| 4 | ⬇ | Amazon | Software & Computer Services | 1210 | 1953 | 61.4 |
| 5 | ⬇ | Nationwide | Commercial Banking | 943 | 1834 | 94.5 |
| 9 | ⬆ | DXC Technology | Software & Computer Services | 197 | 906 | 359.9 |
| 13 | ⬆ | Advanced | Software & Computer Services | 153 | 803 | 424.8 |
| 17 | ⬆ | CGI | Software & Computer Services | 89 | 622 | 598.9 |
At 360% year-on-year, DXC Technology experienced the largest growth in vacancies out of the top 10 recruiters for IT experts. Further down the rankings, recruitment levels at Advanced and CGI rose even more rapidly, by 424.8% and 598.9% year-on-year, respectively.
London IT jobs up 121%, labour market share rises 3.1 points to 47.6%
London remains the dominant region for new IT vacancies, accounting for 47.5% of all new jobs. The South is the second largest regional area for IT vacancies, experiencing a 95% year-on-year increase and accounting for 26% of all IT roles. Meanwhile, Wales saw an even sharper increase compared to London, with hiring levels up 121.8% year-on-year.
The research found software development and engineering specialists were the most sought after in England & Wales, with recruitment levels up 88.2% year-on-year. At 151.5%, roles in IT support grew the fastest, while hiring for IT security experts experienced the smallest growth (70% year-on-year).
The firm with the most IT vacancies in 2021 is JPMorgan, publishing over 2,600 new jobs for IT professionals, a 107.3% year-on-year increase. With modest growth of 61.4% year-on-year, Amazon falls from second to fourth place in the table.
- The data for this article is taken from a Vacancysoft and Robert Walters labour market report on the UK tech industry. Read it here.
