While latest ONS figures show that vacancies grew in the first quarter of this year, recent data indicates that job numbers in IT are beginning to slow, with figures dropping 55% between March and April 2022.  With application numbers also continuing to decline, these statistics suggest that the lack of resources across the UK is impacting job growth across the sector. That’s according to the latest data from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

According to the data, the IT sector saw an even more concerning fall in applications, with decreases of 72% between March and April of this year, and 68%, when comparing April 2022 figures with April 2021. While this is certainly cause for concern, it’s perhaps unsurprising given that reports of talent shortages in IT have been widely documented over the year.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented:

“The UK’s skills crisis is continuing to be a focal issue for the IT sector, and for good reason as our data shows that applications are dropping at a concerning rate. With Covid-19 accelerating demand for tech, IT professionals have been in extremely high demand. Consequently, vacancies in this arena have been on a constant upwards trajectory and the skills-gap has widened.”

“Given the dearth of available resources, there’s a high chance that this drop in new vacancies is simply a sign that businesses cannot fill roles they’ve had open for some time and are unlikely to add any more roles if they cannot meet the current operational needs.”

“For employers and recruiters, now is a critical time. Businesses need to rebuild and nurture dwindling talent pools, utilise innovative technology and maximise partnerships with external talent suppliers in order to find the resources that are needed. Difficult times are ahead for the UK economy, and we need a recruitment market that can best support economic growth.”