A boom in investment in UK tech has led to a surge in hiring across the country with tech and IT-related vacancies now making up 13% of all UK job vacancies.

The figure is up from 12.3% for the same period last year, according to data analysed by smarter job search engine Adzuna for the UK’s Digital Economy Council and Tech Nation. 

Nearly three million people, or 9% of the UK workforce, are employed in the UK tech industry. Yet with UK tech startups and scaleups raising more money than ever before – £13.5 billion so far in the first half of 2021 – companies across the UK are hiring rapidly, to help grow their businesses. 

The data shows that the number of advertised tech roles is 42% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with cities including Preston, Cardiff and Edinburgh seeing some of the sharpest increases in vacancies. 

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “It’s been yet another record-breaking year for UK tech – and that means thousands of high-quality jobs for people across the entire country.

“The jobs are there. We’re working tirelessly to make sure people who want to start careers and businesses in tech are supported with the skills they need to fill them, and to thrive.”

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The UK now has over 42,000 startups and nearly 10,000 corporate tech companies spread across the country who are vying for the industry’s brightest talent. This means that the proportion of advertised digital tech roles across all UK cities are increasing year on year, up from 19% in 2018 to 23% in 2020. 

Edinburgh is leading the charge with 30% of all open job roles in the city in the tech sector – the highest of all UK cities. The Scottish capital is closely followed by Reading and Glasgow, with 29% and 28% of all opportunities in the cities in tech respectively. 

Preston has emerged as a tech city to watch. It has had a 53% increase in available digital tech roles since 2018. Cardiff, Edinburgh and Liverpool have all seen an increase of 30% or more over the past two years. London, Peterborough and Glasgow have all had a 25% increase in advertised tech roles. 

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In Eastern England, overall hiring has increased by nearly 14% month on month in 2021, and 12% in North West England, South West England and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, tech vacancies make up almost 15% of all new jobs advertised. 

Dr George Windsor, Head of Insights at Tech Nation, said: “Hiring for tech roles across the UK is now higher than pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating how confidence in UK tech has grown over the past few months. 

“From software developers to business analysts, people can have long and rewarding careers in the sector. With nearly 3 million people working in the industry already, this is set to increase steadily over the next year.”