Tech Sector

Tech is where we started, it is very much at the core of what we do. The prolific rise of artificial intelligence in recent times is set to revolutionise the recruitment sector. There is high demand for tech skills but supply shortages exist all across the globe. APSCo's dedicated Tech sector group can help you not just overcome challenges but also seize incredible opportunities to grow your business. 

• A positive culture within the sector group to support open discussion, and facilitate an environment where members can build networks for the purpose of collaboration
• Sector group meetings and events giving your senior leadership team an important opportunity to network and discuss key topics and issues
• Support and guidance for compliance managers, through specific meetings, events and legal resources
• Targeted market research and data for the Tech recruitment sector
• Active advocacy within Government and other stakeholders to help shape the future of the sector. Read our latest political engagement.

We hold regular Tech sector meetings. You can find an example agenda from one of the meetings below:

The must-have skills of a CTO
With tech and AI having an ever-broader impact on a business, what skills do recruiters need to find in the tech leaders they source?

IT has evolved from a mere support function to being a feature that gives companies their competitive advantage; and as it has done so, the skills needed to be successful in tech have undergone significant change to keep up. This includes managing business risk and resilience, negotiating with suppliers, seeking finance through funding rounds right up to overseeing large-scale change management projects and data security.

In addition, the skills and knowledge of successful tech leaders has diversified and expanded beyond technical infrastructure to all business functions, and along with that, a more in depth understanding of what it is that makes the business tick.

Key Takeaways:

• A data-backed understanding of the evolving role of the CTO and what hard and soft skills recruiters need to demonstrate in their senior IT leaders
• How to identify a stand out CTO.
• Questions to ask your client when qualifying jobs for senior IT leaders
• Practical strategies for finding, engaging, and hiring high-quality tech talent.

APSCo has partnered with Trusted Partners to produce Tech sector reports free to APSCo members. These reports are based on a wide-ranging analysis of job postings in the recruitment sector.

The technology sector is holding steady rather than accelerating, with modest but consistent growth during Q2 2026 according to the latest Technology Sector Report from APSCo and CV-Library.

The report found that 126,861 tech vacancies were advertised during the quarter - up 4.3% year-on-year - while demand for AI talent continued to rise. AI-related vacancies increased by 41.8% compared to the same period last year and now account for 4.6% of all technology roles advertised.

Employers also continued to prioritise permanent hiring, with permanent roles accounting for 88% of all technology vacancies and increasing by 4.9% year-on-year. Contract hiring, meanwhile, remained broadly flat annually and fell 6.1% compared with the previous quarter.

Artificial Intelligence Engineer was one of the fastest-growing roles, with vacancies rising 74.4% year-on-year. It was also the highest average advertised salary of £78,821 while Data Scientist salaries saw the strongest annual increase, rising 22.2%.

Salary transparency also continued to improve, with 34% of tech vacancies including salary information, up from 32.1% a year ago. However, two-thirds of roles still don't advertise pay.

Would you like access to the latest Technology Sector Report from APSCo and CV-Library? Email membership@apsco.org

APSCo produces regular reports and research. Members can access all of this content here.

Our team of legal experts provides a range of support to our Tech members, helping them navigate the complex and ever-changing compliance requirements of Tech recruitment. As a member, staffing firms can access:

• APSCo helpdesks where you will be able to speak to experts in legal, immigration, accountancy and international
• A member risk assessment to independently review your compliance needs and risks
• Downloadable compliance toolkits
• Contract review services through our Trusted Partners
• Legal FAQs
• Model Contracts, Policies and Documents
• IR35 and AI guidance and toolkits

We are the single destination for advice, guidance and support across the Tech recruitment sector. Our knowledge of the global professional recruitment market means we have the insight and experience to know what challenges recruiters are facing and how they can be better supported.

By joining other like-minded recruiters, your business will benefit from:

• A sector-specific and broader recruitment events schedule
• Training and development options that are tailored for every function in your recruitment firm
• Global market intelligence and research
• Expert advice on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) through the APSCo Embrace hub
• Access to a range of Trusted Partners – all fully vetted by APSCo
• Access to a range of Advisors via AdvisorLink
• A recognised and trusted badge of quality as an APSCo recruitment member