Tech firms driving hiring comeback with one in six jobs targeting young people

Britain’s tech sector is driving growth in youth employment with one in six openings suitable for entry-level jobseekers, research today suggests.

IT-related vacancies now account for one in seven UK job openings.

Job search engine Adzuna has identified 20,302 advertised vacancies that are particularly suitable for young people. It noted that young people can get into the tech sector through multiple pathways from entry-level roles targeting 16 to 24 year olds, through apprenticeships, graduate schemes and internships.

Overall, there are 122,446 advertised vacancies currently available for IT-related roles, 10 per cent more than this time last year, and representing the highest online job ad count since the start of 2020, according to Adzuna. IT-related vacancies now account for one in seven UK job openings.

The statistics come as the UK Department for Work and Pensions and Adzuna prepare to host a “digital roundtable” to encourage more tech firms to use the Kickstart Scheme to help young people gain a foothold in the sector.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: “Tech companies are a leading light in the UK economy and are already playing an important part in the hiring recovery. It’s critical to ensure these opportunities flow down to our young people, particularly those at risk of long-term unemployment.

“Getting involved with Kickstart is also a great chance for the tech sector to develop the next generation of talent.”

Oliver Beach, UK managing director at Kickstart gateway provider Jolt, added: “Kickstart is changing the lives of young people who’ve been severely impacted by the pandemic, giving them vital employability skills and experience whilst also improving diversity in the tech sector.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription: www.scotsman.com/subscriptions