UK expected to need another 500 000 IT professionals by 2016

According to the latest report from e-Skills UK, 5% (1.5 million) of the UK working population is employed in the IT and Telecom sector with a large majority being men (82%) with a high caliber profiles.
 
Demand for IT professionals in the UK, forecasted to increase at 2.19% per year, 5 times faster than any other sectors’ average. This simply means that over 500 000 new IT and Telecom professionals will be needed over the next 5 years.
 
In 2011, 110 000 new IT candidates will be needed to meet UK companies’ demand. Around 50% of these will be non-IT professionals moving into IT, while 17% will enter the market right after their studies.
 
In terms of the offer, it will be mainly high caliber jobs, which require business and management skills as well as advanced technical competence.
 
The industry preferring more and more experienced candidates, the number of IT professionals under the age of 30 decreased to 19% in 2010 compared to 33% in 2001 and the proportion of IT candidates over the age of 50 practically doubled reaching 17%.
 
The research also pinpoints the fact that technology could be a major player in the country’s economic recovery. In every sector, IT and Telecom contributes £81 billion per year to the economy totaling 9% of the UK's economy.
 
The report also mentions that if the industry's potential was fully exploited this could add £50 billion to the economy over the next 5 to 7 years.
 
"We need to leverage the power of technology to deliver productivity and global competitiveness, and create the high value jobs on which the UK economy increasingly depends. Continued investment in the sector, and into the skills of those working in it, is vital to securing the UK's economic future." said Andy Green, chair of the e-Skills UK board and global CEO of Logica.