The number of people applying for roles in the IT sector has continued to fall, highlighting the extent of worsening skills shortages facing firms. That’s according to the latest insights from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).
The data, provided by Veritone Hire, revealed that the number of people applying for permanent roles has fallen by 57% year-on-year from August 2023 to August 2024, and by 41% for contract positions. This is indicative of deepening skills shortages and suggests that professionals in the industry are unwilling to move jobs. With the sector already struggling to source skills and widely reported layoffs in recent years creating uncertainty in the market, the knock-on effects to hiring could be long-lasting.
Ann Swain, Global CEO at APSCo, commented:
The IT sector has faced a challenging talent market over the past year, with vacancies on a continued downward trend, highlighting the broader cutbacks that have been made in the remit. However, what is of more concern are the falling application numbers. We expect a seasonal drop in August, but the significant year-on-year decline suggests that skills shortages are deepening in IT. With the Labour Government looking to boost the UK’s position as a technology powerhouse, it will clearly need to define how it will help employers tackle this growing issue in both the long and short term.
