The UK’s tech skills gap is continuing to grow, with the number of candidates in IT dropping. That’s according to the latest real-time statistics from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

The data revealed a 66% increase in demand for IT professionals between the third quarter of last year and Q3 2021, which is indicative of the continued pressure facing UK firms to digitise their businesses and workplaces in a hybrid working model. However, application numbers fell 41% during this same period, indicating a decline in the readily available IT expertise that the county needs as the economy recovers. The statistics suggest that employers are already beginning to feel the impact of this gap in supply and demand, with average salaries for permanent IT roles increasing £2,607 in 2021 as firms turn to financial incentives to compete for talent.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented:

“We’ve witnessed the impact that the skills shortage has had on logistics and supply chains, but this shortage of applicants isn’t just limited to HGV drivers – it’s a widespread challenge. The fact that we’re seeing an increased gap between the number of vacancies across IT and the number of people applying for these positions indicates that the professional services arena is facing a scarcity of talent that could soon reach a critical point.

“This decline in IT applications is a concern that every business in the country should be wary of as it will affect us all. The shortage of specialist tech skills is an issue that has long been building in the country, and while the plans to “level up” the country that the Prime Minister has outlined should help address this talent dearth to some degree, for the immediate demand, UK firms simply need to be able to tap into other talent pools easily, including international pipelines.”