Despite current economic uncertainty and a looming recession, employment prospects across Europe remain buoyant. This is particularly true in the tech industry, where we’re continuing to see robust growth and high demand for tech staff.
According to Tech Nation, the number of people working in UK tech has more than doubled over the past 10 years, and of the 14 million job vacancies last year, 2 million were for roles in tech.
But, as the tech industry continues to expand, the tech skills gap is also widening. Karin Kimbrough, LinkedIn’s chief economist, says that in the next five years, the company expects almost 150 million new tech jobs. And according to management consulting firm Korn Ferry, there will be a global shortage of more than 85 million tech workers by 2030.
For job seekers, that means there are great opportunities to carve out a career in tech and command a high salary for sought-after skills. For companies, that means finding new and inventive ways to attract top tech talent in a highly competitive job market.
Ford Garrard, CEO of energy and tech recruitment agency, Visuna, says: “We’re seeing high demand for tech talent, and not just in tech companies, but across a range of industries. The challenge and opportunity for a lot of businesses will be in how they upskill, attract, and retain talent to stay ahead.”
So whether you’re currently in tech and wondering where your development focus should be, or a job switcher wondering where the best job prospects lie, here’s a rundown of the top four emerging sectors in 2023.
1. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to boom in 2023 and the market is forecast to be worth $422 billion by 2028. Automated personal assistants and chatbots are already part of our everyday lives, but with every major tech company investing heavily in emerging AI, it’s set to be the next big thing in modern tech.
In the UK, the number of job openings requesting AI skills has more than tripled in the past decade, a demand that’s only outstripped in Sweden and America. People working in AI need to be good problem solvers and innovators who can think outside the box.
2. Cybersecurity
Whether it’s banking, shopping, or work emails, all kinds of daily tasks are becoming increasingly reliant on technology. For businesses, digitised systems and services mean cyberattacks are a major risk, making cybersecurity a top priority.
The demand for cybersecurity talent has grown significantly in the past few years, and there aren’t enough skilled professionals to meet demand. Globally, we’re seeing a cybersecurity workforce shortfall of 3.4 million people, and these skills are some of the most sought-after in tech.
Roles in cybersecurity are varied, making it an alluring sector for those who like diversity at work. Cybersecurity specialists need great analytical and technical skills in areas like scripting, data encryption, and intrusion detection, and must be able to quickly respond to incidents.
3. Cloud Specialists
Cloud-based platforms aren’t new, as businesses have used them for years to store and backup data, but the COVID-19 pandemic instigated a sea change in how organisations operate. The working-from-home model was widely adopted, and many corporations now rely on cloud-based services.
As more businesses have moved to cloud-based environments, the need for cloud experts has continued to rise. However, in-depth knowledge of cloud-based systems and tools is underserved, and only 8% of the current tech workforce have the required expertise, making it a specialism very much in demand.
Anyone wanting to work as a cloud specialist should have solid analytical and troubleshooting skills combined with expert knowledge of cloud-based systems and applications.
4. Data Science
With rising deployment of digitalisation, cloud-based platforms, AI and machine learning, organisations are storing and analysing vast amounts of data. This puts data analysts and scientists in high demand, and employment in this area is expected to grow by 36% by 2031.
Those working in data science naturally need to be highly analytical and great at working with and interpreting data to find patterns and trends.
In Conclusion
Despite a slowing global economy, growth in the tech sector remains strong. As technology expands further into AI, cloud-based systems, and data science, the demand for skilled technical professionals continues to grow, creating exciting new roles and excellent job prospects.
Ford Garrard adds: “With the recent Silicon Valley layoffs, people might be questioning whether it’s a good time to get into tech, but it’s worth remembering it’s not all about the big tech giants. Businesses across the board are crying out for tech professionals, whether that’s in cybersecurity, AI or software engineering. For job seekers, there’s never been a more exciting or lucrative time to be in tech.”
Technology will only become an increasingly important part of daily and corporate lives and tech skills will continue to be valuable. To stay ahead, tech professionals should focus on developing in-demand skills in emerging areas, while businesses need to focus on upskilling and attracting top tech talent.
