Increasing demand for tech skills amid lockdown

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is resulting in a continuing surge in demand for staff in the IT and tech sectors in the UK.

David Sapsted

17 April 2020

However, the latest labour market survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and Totaljobs found that it was the logistics sector that saw the largest increase in advertised jobs last month.The report said that the data illustrated the fact that while many sectors had been negatively impacted by coronavirus, some areas of the labour market were experiencing growth "as the economy re-gears itself to tackle the pandemic".The growing demand for staff in the IT and tech sector resulted in more vacancies being advertised than in any other industry. In response, the second week of April saw a 31 per cent increase in searches for IT roles on the Totaljobs platform.Meanwhile jobs in warehouse operations and driving attracted applications from 68,000 new users on Totaljobs, equivalent to a third of total new applicants across the site.Not surprisingly, the survey found a marked increase in advertised roles in healthcare with Totaljobs recording a weekly average of 1,600 vacancies advertised on its website. Additionally, an average of 4,000 jobs a week were advertised in the social care sector.Adam Marshall, director-general of the BCC, said: "“With so many firms facing serious challenges as a result of the pandemic, it is encouraging to see that opportunities remain in some parts of the labour market during these extraordinary times."This reflects the huge efforts that the NHS and social care sector, logistics firms and others are making to look after those affected by Covid-19 and keep vital supplies flowing across the United Kingdom.“Chambers of Commerce and their members are working together to play their part, including gathering unused PPE from local businesses and delivering it to the NHS. The resilience and innovation that characterises British business will mean both firms and their employees will make an important contribution to tackling the virus in the coming week and months.”The data was released on Friday as the BCC published the results of its 'Coronavirus Impact Tracker', which suggested that the majority of businesses in the UK had made changes to their working practises as a result of the current lockdown and social distancing measures.Two-thirds of employers said they were working remotely and half were using video conferencing software to keep business on track. Some 24 per cent of firms had closed business operations temporarily; 12 per cent had changed product or services; and 14 per cent had used an online sales platform.Jon Wilson, CEO at Totaljobs, commented: “Recent changes to the way we work have had a monumental impact on employers and employees alike. With the BCC’s Coronavirus Impact Tracker verifying a widespread take up of digital working, at Totaljobs we are also witnessing many businesses altering their typical output, to meet public demand for essential items."With estimations that up to a million workers could find themselves displaced by the outbreak of Covid-19, for many, this presents the opportunity to find work within industries such as logistics, IT, social care, farming and agriculture and more."In the coming weeks, we expect to see further diversifying of skills and specialities, from both businesses and the people they employ, signalling what was once a hypothetical shake-up of the UK’s employment market."While this alleviates short-term pressures and helps business continuity, for employers hiring from different talent pools, the importance of successful onboarding is clear. By ensuring new recruits are properly integrated into ways of working, and arming them with the knowledge, background and training to succeed in the role, businesses can look to overcome long-standing skills shortages after restrictions loosen.”