IT demand dominates hiring as businesses respond to Covid-19

IT demand and technology job vacancies are dominating the hiring arena in London as firms seek to continue operations remotely during the pandemic. That’s according new analysis from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), the trade association for the professional recruitment sector.

The data, provided by business intelligence specialist, Vacancysoft, shows that by sector, IT remains the leading area of hiring in the capital, accounting for 35% of all vacancies over the period since the shutdown. On a normal given week this figure would be 15% at most.

The data further revealed that the top five in demand roles across the capital are technology related, with software engineering roles coming out on top.

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Commenting on the data, Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, said: “While the coronavirus has meant that many firms have slowed down hiring — it has by no means stopped. The fact that recruitment is still continuing with relative strength in IT is perhaps unsurprising due to the on-going need across most sectors to conduct operations remotely, but is nonetheless encouraging during these testing times.”

James Chaplin, CEO of Vacancysoft, also commented: “Covid-19 continues to damage the nation’s economic health, and needless to say, the professional recruitment sector. However, from our data, it’s clear that there is still some hiring taking place, with IT roles in particularly high demand. As the lockdown continues, and we adjust to the ‘new normal’, there is no doubt that many positions will still need to be filled, making innovative talent strategies more important than ever.”

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Nick Ismail

Nick Ismail is a former editor for Information Age (from 2018 to 2022) before moving on to become Global Head of Brand Journalism at HCLTech. He has a particular interest in smart technologies, AI and...