To sign up for our daily email newsletter, CLICK HERE
It’s no surprise that the pandemic has changed the way we work, bringing technology to the forefront. Businesses have had to adapt in order to accommodate the needs of their customers and comply with government guidelines.
Now, we can place an order at a restaurant via an app, attend a meeting from the comfort of our own home, and even get a diagnosis without having to physically go to the doctor.
With a significant rise in businesses investing in tech, demand is higher than ever for people with skills in AI, robotics and cloud.
The UK is facing its own epidemic – a growing tech skill shortage
A report from the Learning and Work Institute says the number of students taking IT subjects at GCSE has fallen by 40% since 2015. Meanwhile, in May 2021, the government published its 2020 report on Understanding the UK AI labor market.
These statistics are particularly concerning as experts warn digital skills are crucial to the UK’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
Why are tech skills plummeting and what can we do?
The government’s 2020 report showed firms were reporting skill gaps among their existing AI and data science employees. 51- 55% of firms surveyed had noticed gaps in:
- Understanding of algorithms or AI concepts
- Programming skills and languages
- Software and systems engineering
- User experience
According to the Learning and Work Institute’s report, only 48% of UK employers believe students are graduating from full-time education with the advanced digital skills required in today’s world.
It also found that 76% of businesses believe their bottom line would be jeopardized by a lack of digital knowledge.
Fortunately, there are many benefits to a career in tech, so with more targeted promotion and guidance within UK schools, the potential to increase recruitment within the industry is strong.
Why you should consider a tech career
Given the apparent shortage of skills in the tech industry, that means there are likely several landing spots for anyone who is tech-savvy and can pick up the knowledge required.
That’s not the only reason to consider a career in tech…
You can build a solid career without going to university
A few years ago, it was rare to meet a programmer or developer without a degree, but these days it’s not an essential requirement to land a job. Employers are much more open-minded about the people they hire and are more interested in the skills they bring to the table.
Tech jobs are here to stay
Tech is constantly evolving and the demand for skilled programmers, web developers and AI specialists continues to climb. As more businesses transition to online sales, the call for experts to build ecommerce websites seems to be louder than ever.
While improvements in technology mean some jobs may become redundant in the future, it is unlikely the skills required to develop the technology itself could be replaced by AI.
You’ll be in the money
Programmers and web developers have the potential to take home a hefty paycheck, with Glassdoor reporting an average salary for entry-level web developers sits at almost £37,000.
With many companies across all kinds of industries seeing their business move increasingly online due to the restraints of the pandemic, there is a bigger demand than ever for these jobs, and not enough qualified people to fill them all.
