AI-augmented developer roles have increased nearly six-fold over the last five years, as enterprises move from AI experimentation to implementation, according to new research from Randstad Digital.

While there's been an increase of just 28% for traditional developers, the figure for developers with AI expertise has grown by 597%, with nearly one-in-four developer roles now requiring these skillsets.

Analysis of more than 35 million job postings shows technical professionals who acquire specialized credentials are leapfrogging traditional seniority tiers, with AWS Solutions Architect (Pro) and LangGraph/RAG Architect certifications driving estimated salary increases of 54% and 31%, respectively.

"Enterprise AI is no longer a future investment; it is today's operational reality. Yet the biggest barrier to growth is not access to technology, it is access to the right people," said Michael Morris, global head of platform and talent at Randstad Digital.

"Buying AI is easy. Integrating it safely and securely across a complex enterprise is where the true challenge lies. The specialists who can integrate, govern and scale AI inside complex organizations are in critically short supply."

While foundational roles like prompt engineers are still growing at 174%, demand has rapidly escalated up the skills ladder, with AI trainers now the fastest-growing role globally, up 281%.

As ITPro reported in February, demand for AI trainers has skyrocketed over the last 18 months. Researchers said this reflects a broader market pivot toward roles that turn AI’s potential into real support for business growth.

Demand for AI solutions leads is up 226%, process automation specialists up 196%, and AI architects up 152%, Randstad noted.

Finding talent is harder than it looks

While demand for AI-related skills is there, actually filling these positions is far harder than it appears, Randstad noted. Indeed, enterprises are facing acute challenges in sourcing talent.

AI solutions leads are currently the hardest role to fill globally, for example, with time-to-fill timelines hitting 54 days in key markets and vacancy rates of nearly 27% in the US and 18% in the UK.

Despite having talent pools of roughly 100,000 professionals, machine learning engineers face vacancy rates of 8.2% in the US and 11.2% in India. Japan, meanwhile, is facing some of the sharpest shortages globally, with a 46.8% vacancy rate for AI engineers and 25% for generative AI engineers.

All this is reflected by hiring timelines, according to Randstad. While a standard IT role typically takes 38 days to fill, the recruitment window for advanced AI infrastructure roles has expanded to an average of 54 days in the UK and 53 days in the US.

This stretches to a high of 90 days for Process Automation Specialists in Italy.

The result of this is that salary offers are rising sharply, particularly in the US. Across the Atlantic, large language model (LLM) architects have a vacancy rate of 19%, commanding average salaries of $240,000.

Brazil and Argentina have rapidly emerged as a high-growth corridor for specialized AI services, now representing over 15% of global postings combined. In Europe, the UK, Poland, Spain, and Germany show steady demand, with individual national shares between 1.8% and 2.8%, while China accounts for 7.5% of the global job volume.

"AI talent concentrated in the US and India but fast-growing corridors emerging in Brazil, Argentina and beyond, cross-border hiring is becoming a core enterprise strategy," said Morris.

"Organizations that combine global talent sourcing with deliberate investment in upskilling their existing workforce are best placed to close the gap."

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Organizations that don't have a comprehensive AI people strategy will lose their top talent as soon as this year, according to Gartner.

According to the firm's Global Labor Market Survey, half will see their most talented workers abandon ship for competitors who prioritize workforce enablement over basic adoption.

Only 27% of executives have a comprehensive AI people strategy, the consultancy found, and just 20% believe their workforce is truly AI-ready.

“The survey revealed that in the shift to an AI-powered workforce, most leaders are mistaking basic access or adoption metrics for transformation,” said Swagatam Basu, senior director analyst in the Gartner HR practice.

“This ‘enablement illusion’ is hiding risks and draining ROI.”

Keeping employees happy

Organizations face a host of challenges on this front, according to Gartner. First and foremost, while AI success is often rated in terms of hours saved, 19% of employees said no time was saved at all.

Instead, Gartner said organizations should be focusing on effective and diverse AI use.

Employees who are proficient with AI across multiple use-cases are twice as likely to be highly productive, 2.3 times more likely to deliver high-quality work, and 3.2 times more likely to drive effective process improvements.

Meanwhile, the use of shadow AI needs to be tackled, with a focus on AI governance.

“Eighty-eight percent of employees with enterprise AI access also use personal AI tools for business tasks, often to save time,” said Diana Sanchez, senior director analyst in the Gartner HR practice.

“While hybrid AI users are 1.7 times more likely to report significant time saved over those using only enterprise solutions, this behavior increases corporate data risk and also drives attrition risks with critical talent.”

Focusing on senior staff is also causing problems, Gartner found. While most employees are offered enterprise AI, 73% of highly productive users are managers or executives.

More junior staff – who, after all, are responsible for the majority of automatable tasks – often don't get enough support and guidance.

Nervy staff are causing problems

Notably, Gartner said nervous staff are holding their organizations back, with anxiety over AI-driven job losses undermining productivity and slowing adoption rates.

Employees with a positive outlook on AI are 3.4 times more likely to be highly productive, according to Basu.

“The most effective drivers of positive AI adoption are employee confidence in their current and future roles, and transparent, ongoing communication about how AI will be used and its impact on jobs.”

Looking ahead, leaders need to provide clear communication about how jobs and skills will evolve with AI and set clear norms for human-AI collaboration to reduce anxiety about job preparedness.

They should carry out regular trust pulse surveys to monitor workforce sentiment around AI, and address concerns early and proactively.

Gartner's findings echo research published this week by HR services provider Randstad, which found that the most limiting factor in AI-led transformation is the human factor, rather than the technology.

More than a quarter of technology professionals told the HR consultancy that their organizations are still not doing enough to develop their skills, and 52% said they were seeking training independently – largely because internal programs cannot keep pace with the rate of technological change.

"Upskilling can no longer be treated as an HR program or professional development perk. It’s business-critical infrastructure, part of your technology stack, not separate from it," said Michael Morris, global head of platform and talent at Randstad Digital.

"It needs to be funded, architected, measured, and continuously improved like any other mission-critical system. The organizations that view workforce capability as a layer of their technology stack are the ones that will finally see the AI ROI that has remained so elusive."

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A leading cause of security breaches lies in a lack of employee skills and awareness, according to new research from Fortinet, and it’s an issue that’s plagued the industry for years.

In Fortinet’s 2026 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, more than half (56%) of security and IT leaders cited a lack of employee security awareness as a top cause of security breaches.

A similar number (54%) highlighted a lack of trained IT or security staff as a leading contributing factor on this front.

Speaking to ITPro, Melonia da Gama, director of training and learning programs at Fortinet, noted that this marks the third consecutive year in which the top cause of security incidents came from poor skills capabilities.

Indeed, it’s an issue that enterprises are failing to address despite obvious signs that threat actors are capitalizing on the problem by actively targeting staff.

“For the third year in a row, human skills, whether it be the IT or security teams, or the general security awareness of all your employees, has been the top concern for threats,” she said.

“And if you look at the top four attacks listed, they’re all targeted at the end-user, at the employees.”

According to Fortinet’s findings, the top four attacks reported by organizations over the last year included:

• Malware attacks (39%)
• Phishing attacks (36%)
• Web attacks (31%)
• Password attacks (30%)

These attack methods align consistently with previous iterations of the report, da Gama noted, and show that despite an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape, cyber criminals are still sticking with traditional techniques.

“Some of these simple attacks they have are still working on humans, because we’re not investing as much as we should in their skills and development,” she told ITPro.

The situation for enterprises is further exacerbated by the fact that many simply can’t find workers with relevant skills. Worse still, nearly half (49%) said they struggle to even get approval to bring on additional cybersecurity talent.

This flies in the face of what executives have told Fortinet repeatedly over the last few years - namely the fact that cybersecurity is now a mission-critical area.

More than three-quarters (73%) said cybersecurity is now a key priority for their organization, for example. Many, however, aren’t putting their money where their mouth is, with Fortinet finding that only 59% prioritize spending in this domain.

According to da Gama, Fortinet found that there’s a growing gap when it comes to business priorities and financial priorities. Put simply, boards are aware of the scale of threats, but they’re not quite willing to invest at the levels required.

The potential impact of this underinvestment is significant, Fortinet found. More than half (52%) of organizations reported that breaches now cost more than $1 million on average.

High stakes with AI in the equation

Poor skills capabilities come at a critical time for many organizations, particularly given many are ramping up AI adoption and deploying new tools and technologies.

AI brings with it an array of new considerations for IT and security leaders. It’s an enabler for employees, but it’s also widening attack surfaces and is even being leveraged by threat actors to supercharge attacks.

“Last year in our report, we said [AI] was an opportunity, obviously, to shore up our defenses really quickly,” da Gama told ITPro. “It’s a challenge, because we’re seeing even this year, the biggest challenge they have is how do we implement this within our organization – and it’s a threat.”

“The number one worry they have is AI,” she added. “Attacks that are leveraging AI, because we don't know what they're going to look like. They're getting better and better every day.”

Da Gama explained that many organizations are falling into the trap of “hanging our hats on technology and AI” while “forgetting about the people”.

Finding cyber talent was already a challenge, but when it comes to AI-related skills the situation is even more dire, according to Fortinet. Nearly two-thirds (60%) of respondents said their top recruitment challenge was finding cybersecurity professionals with experience in AI.

Meanwhile, 63% said they expect a great need for AI oversight and governance roles in cybersecurity teams over the next three years.

Efforts are being made to improve on these fronts, Fortinet found. The overwhelming majority (92%) of respondents said they plan to invest in AI-related security training or certifications over the next 12 months.

The same number said they’re willing to pay for employees to achieve certifications in a bid to boost their skills capabilities.

Attempts to source talent from traditionally underrepresented groups and through alternative talent pipelines are also accelerating, Fortinet found.

92% of respondents now use internships, apprenticeships, partnerships, or skills programs to attract talent from a range of demographics. Three-quarters also have dedicated recruitment initiatives targeting women, marking a positive increase compared to last year.

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Cybersecurity skills are in huge demand across the UK, yet despite this, pay rises for security professionals are few and far between.

That’s according to the 2026 Harvey Nash Tech Talent & Salary Report, which found more than three-quarters (77%) of cyber pros missed out on pay rises last year.

Indeed, almost three-times as many workers in roles spanning DevOps (60%), infrastructure support (60%), and machine learning (55%) received salary boosts last year, compared to cybersecurity practitioners (23%).

The recruitment firm said this raises serious questions about why enterprises are overlooking staff in a critical profession - and the outlook among cyber professionals paints a damning picture.

Broadly speaking, tech professionals in the UK rank among the most pessimistic in terms of pay rise expectations. Yet staff in the aforementioned areas all claimed they expect a salary increase in 2026.

By contrast, fewer than half (45%) of cybersecurity practitioners said they expect a pay rise this year.

Ankur Anand, CIO at Harvey Nash, said the data should be a “wake-up call” for enterprises that fail to adequately compensate workers.

“We’re asking cybersecurity teams to stand on the front line of business risk, yet too often we’re not matching that responsibility with the reward, progression, and operating environment that keeps people in the profession,” Anand commented.

“When pay lags the market, workload keeps rising and the role is seen as a blocker rather than an enabler, it’s no surprise that attrition starts to look like the path of least resistance.”

Pay up or expect attrition

Attrition could become a serious issue for enterprises, according to Harvey Nash. The study noted that almost half (48%) of cyber pros are looking to switch jobs within the next year, above the UK average (45%).

The figures from Harvey Nash come in the wake of similar findings from IANS and Artico Search’s 2026 Cybersecurity Talent Report, which found only 34% of cyber professionals plan to stay with their employer over the next year.

Declining job satisfaction, higher workloads, and a lack of regular wage progression were all cited as key factors behind this looming wave of attrition – and it could exacerbate existing talent shortages.

Cybersecurity skills shortages have been a long-running issue for businesses across the UK. Notably, research from Socura in January found that while the number of cybersecurity jobs have surged in recent years, organizations are still struggling with huge shortfalls.

Separate research from De Montfort University in August 2025 warned that continued skills shortages are placing UK firms at higher risk of attacks.

“If organizations want to reduce exposure and respond faster when incidents happen, they need to treat cyber talent as a strategic capability: valued, visible and supported by leadership,” Anand commented.

“The organizations that get this right won’t just retain their best people – they’ll build trust with customers, regulators and their own boards.”

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The UK government wants to train 10 million people in AI by 2030 in an ambitious expansion of a nationwide upskilling program.

Under the plans, every adult in the UK will be eligible to take free courses to gain practical AI skills.

The announcement builds on a previous pledge made in June 2025, in which the government teamed up with industry giants to launch the AI Skills Boost scheme.

Initially, the aim was to train 7.5 million people across the UK to capitalize on the generative AI boom.

Courses run through the expanded program have been curated by industry stakeholders and align with Skills England’s AI foundation skills for work benchmark.

"We want AI to work for Britain, and that means ensuring Britons can work with AI," said Liz Kendall, secretary of state for science, innovation, and technology.

"Change is inevitable, but the consequences of change are not. We will protect people from the risks of AI while ensuring everyone can share in its benefits,” she added.

"That starts with giving people the skills and confidence they need to seize the opportunities AI brings, putting the power and control into their hands."

Inaugural partners on the AI skills Boost program included a range of tech giants, such as Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, and SAS.

They will now be joined by Multiverse, Pax8, TechUK, Cisco, Cognizant, and more.

Sarah Walker, CEO for Cisco UK&I, said the networking giant is “ pleased to support the government’s expansion of its AI upskilling mission”.

“We are proud to help ensure that communities in every corner of the country can benefit from technology and innovation. AI presents an enormous opportunity to unlock human potential, but only if we improve basic digital literacy and support people with AI skills across the UK,” she said.

“The AI Skills Boost is core to raising living standards and generating economic growth opportunities for the nation."

How to get involved in the skills push

The nationwide training scheme will be open to all adults online, the government noted, with some courses taking as little as 20 minutes.

Participants enrolled in these courses will be taught how to use basic AI tools in the workplace, such as using AI for drafting text, creating content, or completing administrative tasks.

“This training will give both workers and employers confidence in their new skills, and set standards for what good AI upskilling looks like,” the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said in a statement.

Local government and NHS employees will be among those first to benefit from the expanded training scheme, the government said.

Addressing future challenges

Alongside the expansion of the AI skills program, Kendall announced the launch of the new AI and the Future of Work Unit to help the country remain “front-footed” in addressing future skills challenges.

The new unit will be led by a panel of experts from businesses and trade unions to examine the potential impact of AI on the economy and labor market.

Long-term, the hope here is that the unit will help guide policymakers in adapting to technological changes.

“It will ensure the AI transition boosts economic growth, supports workers to adapt, protects communities from the mistakes of past industrial change, and delivers a fair, dignified future of work for everyone, where people are supported into better jobs in a more productive economy,” the DSIT said.

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Lloyds Banking Group has announced plans to train every employee in AI skills in a bid to streamline adoption of the technology across operations.

The bank’s new AI Academy, launched this week, aims to provide “practical AI skills” for 67,000 staff “no matter their role or level”.

As part of the scheme, employees will gain access to interactive modules, podcasts, articles, short courses, and additional opportunities for community-based learning.

“Learning is tailored to the different ways colleagues use AI from AI Users to AI Leaders, Builders and Enablers,” Lloyds said in a statement.

“To begin, all 67,000 colleagues will complete a short module on Working with AI Responsibly, ensuring safe and ethical use aligned with Group standards.”

Ron van Kemenade, chief operating officer at Lloyds Banking Group, said the skills program will help prepare staff for AI adoption across the organization, ultimately streamlining the roll-out of the technology.

“Scaling AI is about getting real use-cases into production so we can simplify processes for colleagues and deliver more personalized services for customers,” he said.

“By investing in the skills of our people, we can do this responsibly and at pace, improving service today and building the foundations to scale new innovations in the future.”

Lloyds targets complete skills overhaul

Lloyds anticipates a wholesale transformation of skills across the organization in the coming years, noting that by 2030 “most of the skills used today will have evolved”.

The financial services giant said it projects around 60% of the workforce will need to reskill as a result of AI integration, yet literacy in this area is lacking.

Lloyds said it aims to upskill 100% of colleagues by the end of 2026 alone – a bold target, but one which it said will help deliver marked benefits both for customers and employees alike.

“Upskilling our colleagues is central to how we transform. The AI Academy gives every colleague practical, hands-on tools to use AI responsibly in their day-to-day work,” said Sharon Doherty, chief people and places officer.

“By investing in our people, we’re strengthening the skills that matter most, so our teams can deliver for customers with confidence in a workplace already supported by AI.”

Lloyds has long-running experience with machine learning and AI innovation, having first implemented an ML-powered savings tool for customers in 2021.

Last year, the company put 50 generative AI use-cases into full production, ramping up adoption of the technology across core operations, while unveiling plans to deploy an agentic AI-based financial assistant for over 20 million customers.

Responsible AI

A key focus for the bank lies in responsible and ethical development. In 2022, it became the first in the UK to hire a dedicated responsible AI lead, for example, and its Responsible AI programme helps guide internal development of the technology.

All told, the bank has seven core AI ethics principles. These are implemented through a range of overlapping schemes, frameworks, and teams, including:

• The Lloyds AI Assurance Framework
• A dedicated Data & AI Ethics Committee (DAIEC)
• The Lloyds Risk Mitigation Template
• A “central repository” of AI risk guardrails that staff must adhere to

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While 2024 saw a surge in layoffs, budget cuts, and hiring and promotion freezes, the economic conditions hitting cybersecurity teams appear to be levelling off.

A new report from ISC2 shows that budget cuts across the industry fell by one percentage point to 36% this year, with layoffs also dropping by one percentage point to 24%.

However, while budget cuts are slowing down, a continued lack of budget is still a key hurdle for security leaders, exacerbating long-running staff shortages.

Around one-third (33%) of respondents to the ISC2 survey noted their organizations didn't have the resources to adequately staff their teams. Meanwhile, 29% said they couldn't afford to hire staff with the skills they need to adequately secure their organizations.

As a result, 72% agreed that reducing security personnel significantly increases the risk of a breach in their organizations.

Crucially, it's a shortage of skilled personnel, rather than mere numbers, that's really giving security professionals headaches. Nearly nine-in-ten said they'd experienced at least one significant cybersecurity-related consequence in their organization because of skills shortages, while 69% said they'd experienced more than one.

An overwhelming 95% of respondents said they had at least one skill need - up 5% from 2024 - and 59% cited critical or significant skills needs, up 15% from last year.

“A shift is happening. This year’s data makes it clear that the most pressing concern for cybersecurity teams isn’t headcount but skills,” said ISC2 acting CEO and CFO Debra Taylor.

“Skills deficits raise cybersecurity risk levels and challenge business resilience.”

AI is a big opportunity for cyber teams

Notably, Taylor said the increased adoption of technologies such as generative AI is welcomed by cybersecurity workers. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said AI will create more specialized cybersecurity skills while 72% said the technology will create the need for more strategic cybersecurity mindsets.

Two-thirds, meanwhile, said AI will require broader skillsets across the workforce.

At present, around 28% of respondents have integrated AI tools into their operations, with 69% engaged in some sort of adoption process: integration, active testing, or early evaluation.

Demand for AI-related cybersecurity skills is also growing, ISC2 found, remaining among the top skills for the second consecutive year.

This year, 41% of respondents cited AI as a top skill needed followed by cloud security at 36%.

Nearly half of respondents said they were already working to gain more generalized AI knowledge and skills, while 35% are educating themselves on AI solutions at risk to better understand vulnerabilities and exploits.

All of this is leading to more confidence, with 87% believing there will always be a need for cybersecurity professionals and 81% confident the profession will remain strong.

"Many cybersecurity professionals view AI as an opportunity for career advancement," said Taylor. "They are using AI tools to automate tasks, and they are investing their time to learn more and demonstrate their expertise in using and securing AI systems."

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Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant is among the most popular options out there on the market in 2025, but are you struggling to get the most out of it?

If you think you need to scrub up on your skills, the AI company has teamed up with skills development firm Coursera to launch a new course and specialization aimed at giving developers key tips and tricks when using the assistant.

According to Coursera, the new content from Anthropic is designed to give learners “direct, hands-on experience with Claude and help them build the confidence and skills to collaborate effectively with AI”.

Through the Building with Claude API course, learners will gain access to interactive sessions guided by AI-generated content, as well as personalized feedback on their progress.

The course spans several modules, from the basics to more advanced topics such as Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and Model Context Protocol (MCP) tips.

If you’re just learning the ropes, modules on simply getting started with the AI assistant are available, allowing users to learn API fundamentals, model selection best practices, and how to make your first API call to Claude.

Elsewhere, prompt engineering modules aim to help developers “master the art of designing, refining, and testing high-quality prompts” while a dedicated course on Claude Code, the company’s AI coding assistant, are also available.

Maggie Vo, Anthropic’s head of education, said the modules aim to ease learns into using the AI assistant in their daily workflows.

“Claude can transform your workday, acting as a brainstorm partner, a researcher, and a coder,” she said.

“But we know many people are still learning how to collaborate with AI safely and effectively. These courses address that gap by giving learners the skills and confidence to get the most out of Claude, from the fundamentals of getting started up to building agents.”

More Claude courses are coming

In addition to the developer-focused content, Anthropic’s collaboration with Advancing Women in Technology (AWIT) will also see a new course launched.

The Real-World AI for Everyone course is a triple module specialization that aims to help learners “of all experience levels to build practical fluency for using AI in their daily work”.

This will include a dedicated module, dubbed AI Fundamentals with Claude, aimed at giving users an insight into structuring prompts to get more high-quality responses from the assistant.

Meanwhile, the AI Automation with Claude module will guide users through the process of automating repetitive tasks with the tool.

Nancy Wang, founder and CEO of AWIT and SVP of engineering at 1Password, said the course will help broaden access to the tool.

“AI use remains uneven across different groups,” she said. “And anyone, at any level, can benefit from deliberate, hands-on practice. That’s why we partnered with Anthropic to give Coursera learners worldwide access to real-world, curated AI learning experiences.”

“Learners receive hours of experience with Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude, guided by former Anthropic engineering manager Dan Mellott. Learners build fluency, confidence, and joy as they use AI to innovate, lead, and create lasting impact across every field and community.”

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Gen Z tech workers are reassessing their career paths and future plans – and key factors behind the shift lie in the rise of AI and a demand for more flexible working patterns.

That's according to a global survey by Randstad Digital, which found that two-thirds of Gen Z tech workers are excited about the role AI will play at work and are already using it in their roles. However, nearly half (43%) remain concerned about the impact of AI on their job security.

"Our research illustrates that tech jobs remain highly attractive to Gen Z – yet their expectations are shaping how companies now think about culture, flexibility, career growth, and even the use of AI," said Graig Paglieri, chief executive of Randstad Digital.

That said, the split isn't large between generations. Millennials working in the technology sector are slightly more likely to describe themselves as excited about AI at 77% versus 75% for Gen Z, and only a couple of points less likely to say they are concerned about their jobs at 41%.

Gen X is even less concerned, but still in the same range at 38%.

Gen X is even less concerned, but still in the same range at 38%.

Gen Z entered the workforce at a weird time

Gen Z spans people up to 28 years old at this point, and many have entered the workforce amidst the explosion of the generative AI ‘boom’ and a period of mass layoffs across the tech sector.

Research shows they’re experiencing acute difficulties at present, with a recent study from Stanford University suggesting that entry-level technology jobs have been among the hardest hit in the early stages of the AI boom.

Paglieri warned that means they're often left without early-career training or job progression — and that could be bad news for companies in the longer term as talent pipelines dry up.

"While it’s tempting to focus automation efforts on entry-level jobs, employers should design these roles as stepping stones to build stronger, more resilient organizations for the future," Paglieri said.

"Tech leaders should also focus on competitive compensation and clear career paths, while encouraging AI exploration and building a culture of innovation within their organization."

Get ready for churn

Notably, the Randstad report found loyalty to a single company was diminishing among Gen Z workers. Only 3% of respondents in this age group said they expect to last a decade at their current employer, versus 10% of millennials and 11% of Gen X staff.

Instead, a quarter of Gen Z workers said they planned to stay at their current company for three to five years, with three-in-ten saying they'd stay up to two years and 18% for less than a year.

Many younger workers said they have no fear of quitting. Half of Gen Z employees have quit a role after less than a year, pinning the blame on poor workplace culture (41%), low pay (36%), and a lack of career progression (19%).

To avoid churn and keep younger workers longer, Randstad said companies need to offer better pay, show a clear career path, and flexible working hours.

Blended income models

Given concerns about job security – and the continual failure of pay to keep up with cost of living – it's perhaps no surprise that a quarter of Gen Z workers are looking to add a so-called "side hustle" to their main full-time role, versus 23% who prefer to work just one job.

"These insights indicate a strong trend towards blended income models," Randstad said in a statement.

Gen Z workers also continue to favour flexible working hours, with 49% ranking it first, over 45% choosing pay as a priority and 41% saying location.

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Databricks has announced plans to train 100,000 people across the UK and Ireland in AI and data skills.

The skills development scheme will target a range of areas, including generative AI, data engineering, machine learning, and analytics. The initiative will be delivered through the company’s global education program, Databricks Free Edition, and underpinned by $10 million in funding.

Databricks Free Edition offers participants access to self-paced training and AI tools, and is designed to help close what the company claims is a growing AI talent gap.

“The need for highly skilled AI talent, coupled with a robust AI strategy, has never been more crucial for business success,” the company said in a statement.

“According to World Economic Forum data, workers can expect that almost 40% of their existing skill sets will become outdated in the next 5 years, with AI becoming one of the fastest-growing skills needed for today’s workforce.”

Databricks is teaming up with universities

As part of the scheme, Databricks said it plans to work closely with government and academia across the UK and Ireland.

This includes a partnership with the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) through the ‘Get Tech Certified this Autumn’ program.

The program is a three-month scheme which aims to provide free AI and machine learning training for public sector employees across the country, running in tandem with the government’s Blueprint for a Modern Digital Government.

Elsewhere, Databricks is expanding its University Alliance Program, which sees the company work with more than 40 universities across the UK and Ireland. This includes partnerships with the London School of Economics (LSE), University College Dublin, and the University of Sheffield.

The program is helping to equip students at a slew of universities with data and AI-related skills.

Dr Marcos Barreto, Associate Professor of Data Science and Lead on AI for the Department of Statistics at LSE, said the program is enabling students to transition into the workforce with vital skills.

“Providing our data science students with the latest data and AI skills is something we take great pride in. By being part of the Databricks University Alliance program, our students can learn the latest in big data programming and analytics, which is essential to flourish in the fast-paced AI sector,” Dr Barreto said.

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With the tech skills gap showing no signs of closing, very few IT and business professionals believe they're getting enough support for tech learning.

A survey of 1,500 tech executives, IT professionals, and business professionals in the US, UK, and India from tech workforce development firm Pluralsight has revealed that while 95% say building a culture of learning is a priority at their organization, the same number believe they need more support to learn tech skills.

The biggest problem is lack of time, with only 46% of organizations giving employees dedicated time for learning on the job.

"Organizations understand that a culture of continuous learning is essential to staying competitive," said Chris Herbert, chief content officer at Pluralsight.

"However, translating that intention into action with the right strategies, resources, and the time needed to upskill effectively remains a significant challenge for many."

And the problem isn't getting any smaller. While 67% of organizations said they'd made progress in reducing the IT skills gap, that figure is down 11% year-over-year.

And it's having a big effect on business as a whole, with 48% of IT professionals and 58% of business professionals saying they've had to abandon projects in the past year due to technical skill shortages. This problem showed up most in cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, AI and machine learning (ML), and DevOps.

"Finding ways to course-correct towards more effective tech learning programs will be mission-critical as rapid cloud and AI innovations further pressure workforces," said Herbert.

Upskilling is seen as being faster and more cost-effective than hiring, with 89% of organizations saying that hiring IT talent is more expensive than upskilling their current workforce.

Nearly three-quarters of organizations spend less than $5,000 per employee to upskill, while 46% spend over $5,000 to hire a single tech employee. In the US, the contrast is even more stark, with an average upskilling cost of $5,770, compared with $14,170 for hiring.

Meanwhile, 43% of organizations say upskilling is faster than hiring, allowing teams to quickly contribute to critical projects and accelerate time-to-impact.

There are big advantages for workers who do upskill, with the research revealing that certifications are currently the number one factor in job progression for tech professionals – 46% of IT employees who earned certifications reported salary increases or promotions as a direct result.

Meanwhile, 47% of non-technical employees said tech skill 'microcredentials' or digital badges played the biggest role in getting them a raise or helping them get into a new role. They also reckoned that company upskilling programs, bootcamps, and immersive training are just as impactful as employer-funded degrees when it comes to promotions.

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Most European organizations are taking dangerous risks when it comes to security, largely due to a chronic shortage of relevant cyber skills.

According to new research from Insight Enterprises, the skills crisis is forcing 64% of organizations across EMEA to take risky shortcuts and implement temporary fixes to meet security demands.

"Legacy approaches to cybersecurity are being stretched beyond their limits,” researchers said.

“Teams working in silos, with fragmented tools and limited support, are being asked to manage rapidly expanding attack surfaces, secure hybrid infrastructures, and keep pace with the accelerating adoption of AI technologies — all while navigating increasing regulatory demands and growing pressure on budgets.”

The result, researchers said, is a “mounting disconnect” between what enterprises need from cybersecurity, and what current models can deliver.

A concerning portion of businesses employ workarounds or short-term fixes, but researchers warned they come at a huge cost.

“Organizations that can’t keep up with security demands risk not just higher exposure to breaches, but slower innovation, reduced resilience, and missed growth opportunities,” the study noted.

Cyber skills shortages are hurting UK businesses

In the UK, the skills crisis is particularly acute, with researchers finding 67% of enterprises reported a significant talent shortage. More than half (56%) described their talent shortage as ‘severe’ or ‘significant’.

Notably, the biggest problem is at the senior level, with 50% citing gaps in strategic skills such as governance, planning, and risk assessment.

As a result, only 24% of IT decision-makers across EMEA say they have sufficient in-house cyber skills to keep pace with evolving threats. This is has led 57% to delay key initiatives, with the same number struggling to meet compliance requirements.

Cyber skills go beyond technical know-how

Crucially, the study from Insight noted the cyber skills gap isn't just confined to technical roles. Indeed, this issue spans operations, leadership, and compliance functions, undermining both day-to-day resilience and long-term strategic planning.

The biggest barrier to filling the skills gap is the high cost of hiring and training, an issue cited by 68% of respondents, followed by a lack of qualified candidates in the market, at 65%.

Researchers said that while complete replacement of human workers is unrealistic, cultivating leaders who can orchestrate better human-machine collaboration could be a workaround.

The ability for leaders to translate technical risk into business impact and embed security within day-to-day business processes is crucial.

“The organizations that will lead in the next era are those that align strategic talent with intelligent technology and trusted partnerships,” said Adrian Gregory, EMEA president at Insight. "It’s this blend that builds the resilience required to grow, adapt, and stay ahead.”

There is hope for the future, the study noted. Most leaders are confident that AI can revolutionize organizational workflows and 60% expect the cybersecurity skills gap to improve over the next year - although a quarter expect it to get worse.

Meanwhile, training and retention schemes for promising junior staff will be an important strategy for creating a skilled pipeline for mid- and senior-level roles.

“The skills crisis may have started this conversation, but the strategy crisis is what will define its outcome," said Rob O’Connor, Insight's chief information security officer for EMEA.

"Organizations that treat cybersecurity as a strategic business discipline — not a bolt-on IT function — will be the ones who thrive.”

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While more than three-quarters of IT roles now require technical AI abilities, enterprises are increasingly prioritizing “human skills” to ensure responsible development of the technology.

That's according to a study by the AI Workforce Consortium – led by Cisco but made up of firms including Google, Intel, Microsoft, SAP and more – which found that 78% of the job roles analysed in the sector now require AI skills.

Alongside that, seven of the ten fastest-growing IT roles are linked to AI, including AI or machine learning engineering positions, AI risk and governance specialists, and natural language processing engineers.

Notably, the research spotted serious skills deficits when it comes to large language models, prompt engineering, generative AI, AI ethics, and AI security.

"These critical shortages jeopardize organizations’ ability to scale AI responsibly, securely, and effectively, highlighting the urgent need for targeted learning and security upskilling," the report said.

Andre Bechtold, President of SAP Industries & Experiences, added in a statement that security and ethics were key to the AI rollout.

"It is imperative to deliver AI based on the highest security and ethical standards in a way that streamlines compliance across an organization," he said.

Human skills for AI

Alongside technical skills, the report highlighted the ongoing needs for "human skills", saying communication, collaboration, leadership, critical thinking, and problem solving were increasing in importance because of the rise of AI.

"As AI reshapes our world and work, people remain at the center," said Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, Cisco.

"This year's report makes clear that AI skills open exciting new doors, but it's the combination of technical expertise and human strengths like collaboration and leadership that will truly shape a brighter future.

The study noted that Silicon Valley has seen the most growth in AI jobs, up by 156%, followed by London and Toronto, though Manchester, Lyon, and Vancouver were also identified as emerging AI hubs with 70% job growth.

Boosting AI skills

AI is already having an impact on the job market, noted Svenja Gudell, Chief Economist at consortium member Indeed. Other research backs that up: a study from Stanford showed AI is already starting to take over some roles completely.

"AI is changing the very DNA of jobs and with it redefining the job market as we know it," Gudell said.

Spurred by the report, the consortium has agreed to upskilling and reskilling 95 million people globally over the next decade, offering a set of resources to help.

That includes a guide to companies for meeting AI adoption responsibly, a database of more than 200 curated courses for technical and AI skills, as well as an AI skills glossary to help push the AI industry forward in a standardized way.

“How do you prepare your people for the rapid changes that AI promises to bring?” said Himanshu Palsule, CEO at Cornerstone.

“We know from this year’s report, along with past analysis, that skills demands and job requirements around AI are rising exponentially and will only continue to grow."

Katsoudas added: "We are committed to building a workforce that is ready for this new era of growth, and to give people everywhere the opportunity to learn, contribute and benefit."

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HR and learning and development (L&D) professionals across the US, UK, Germany, and Australia are seriously worried about skill shortages.

Only one-in-ten told researchers for Skillsoft's 2025 Global Skills Intelligence Survey that they were fully confident that their workforce had the skills needed to meet business goals over the next 12 to 24 months.

Nearly a third (28%) said they saw skills as the key factor that could make or break their organization’s growth, with leadership, AI, and technology showing up as the most significant shortages.

However, the respondents weren't particularly impressed with the measures their organizations were taking to deal with the skills shortage. Many said they were relying on talent strategies and development programs that were outdated and disconnected from workplace outcomes.

While 85% of respondents have talent development systems in place, only 6% rate them as 'outstanding', and just 20% believe their talent strategies are aligned with organizational goals.

Just under a quarter (24%) are using a consolidated platform approach that provides a clear view of workforce capability. Similarly, respondents complained that their current solutions were fragmented, overly manual, and lacked customization.

“Business transformation depends on the strength, adaptability, and skills of the workforce. These findings should be a wake-up call for every leader,” said Ciara Harrington, chief people officer at Skillsoft.

“Skills gaps are already impeding growth, and traditional approaches to talent development are only worsening the issue.

"To compete in today’s human-AI world, organizations must place skills at the centre of their strategy and evolve toward integrated platforms that connect learning, skills intelligence, and performance in a single place, unlocking a workforce ready for change and innovation.”

AI skills are the biggest problem for UK firms

In the UK, 30% of business leaders reported significant AI skills gaps, ahead of leadership and people management skills at 26%, and technical skills at 18%.

But there was also a big problem with 'overstatement' of skills in these areas. This, respondents noted, was exacerbating skill gaps (39%), reducing team cohesion (36%), and increasing manager stress (33%).

Organizational challenges included poorly-addressed employee engagement issues, cited by 33%, with 27% reporting that their organization was focused on the present rather than planning for the future.

Meanwhile, 26% said employees were being promoted without adequate preparation.

When asked about their future of work concerns, 37% said they feared losing top talent to more agile competitors, 33% cited burnout as a barrier to transformation, and 24% said they’re worried that AI is advancing faster than workforce skillsets.

With AI specifically, 41% said their workforce was resistant to change and 28% said they needed greater technical expertise.

"As workforce needs continue to shift, the research points to the value of connecting skills to every facet of business strategy," the researchers said.

"Leaders who understand their organization’s strengths and gaps – and act on that insight - will be positioned to adapt faster, perform better, and stay competitive in a changing market."

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The UK is facing a growing digital skills crisis, with demand for AI roles way ahead of workforce readiness.

Business communications provider Esendex analyzed automation and AI job listings and training course availability across 17 key industries, using Reed data.

The company found there were around 11,365 active vacancies for automation and AI roles across a raft of UK sectors, with AI representing 69% and automation making up the remaining 31%.

Among the most in-demand roles were data engineer (30%) and python engineer (25%) in AI. This, the company noted, suggests a sharper hiring focus on infrastructure and the programming needs required to fuel AI development.

Other key vacancies included machine learning specialists, accounting for 10% of listings, and automation controls engineer, at 5.7%. Openings for algorithm specialists and robotic process automation (RPA) roles, however, accounted for just 0.4% and 1.6% of listings respectively.

Of the 17 industries analysed on the Automation & AI Readiness Index, 10 sectors scored below 50 out of a possible 1,600. In transport and logistics and health and medicine, job creation and upskilling efforts are failing to keep pace with the increasingly advanced technologies being deployed.

Meanwhile, construction and property - scoring just 6 - fell at the bottom end of the range, with retail scoring 10.4 and human resources 10.5. The company said this is largely due to minimal automation or AI hiring activity, along with limited training options.

"As sectors which employ large parts of the UK workforce, this could leave a huge portion of UK jobs not yet prepared or supported for automation and AI integration," said the team.

AI readiness is accelerating

As you might expect, the IT and telecoms sector achieved the highest readiness index score, at 777.9. It accounted for more than 63% of all automation and AI roles advertised, while also offering the widest training provision with over 2,000 AI-specific courses.

“The UK’s digital economy is rapidly accelerating and seemingly at a faster rate than the workforce can keep up with. As demand for automation and AI integration rises sharply, most industries simply aren’t moving quickly enough to futureproof their teams and implement the infrastructure necessary," said Richard Hanscott, CEO of Esendex.

“While a handful of sectors are making bold moves toward digital capability, the majority, particularly labor-intensive sectors, are at risk of being left behind. This isn’t down to a lack of ambition, but a severe lack of readiness, investment and skills planning."

Upskilling is needed to overcome growing skills gaps

Essendex recommends upskilling and reskilling the workforce, with targeted programs in automation engineering and tools, AI technologies, and digital communication platforms.

Organizations should use automation to enhance, not replace, human teams, automating repetitive tasks like FAQs, order updates, and appointment confirmations through methods such as SMS automation.

Additionally, the firm advised enterprises to invest in user-friendly tools like AI-powered chatbots and automated SMS software, which can help with the growing skills gap by providing an immediate, scalable solution.

“The real threat isn’t just lost productivity, but of being outpaced by competitors who are already automating smarter, communicating faster, and scaling more efficiently," said Hanscott.

"With solutions like automated SMS software helping to shape the way firms engage customers, the opportunity is clear. But if UK businesses don’t bridge the skills gap now, they may find themselves stuck on legacy systems while their competitors race ahead.”

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A shortage of cybersecurity specialists is leaving the UK at serious risk of attacks unless urgent action is taken to plug critical gaps.

That's according to a researcher at De Montfort University, who wrote a paper for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Cyber Innovation with a to-do list to help fill the country's long-running skills gap.

The paper called on the government to focus on clearly identifying the necessary skills in order to ensure would-be security staff get the right training.

Dr Ismini Vasileiou, an Associate Professor at De Montfort University Leicester and director of the East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster (EMCSC), warned that a shortage of security professionals poses huge risks to the UK.

Indeed, a report from Fortinet suggests as many as 80% of data breaches are caused by lackluster capabilities on this front.

"Recent arrests in relation to cyber-attacks on M&S and Co-op show the real and growing threat faced by UK citizens and businesses," she said in a statement. "What doesn’t make the headlines is the UK’s chronic shortage of cyber professionals."

"This is emerging as a critical situation for SMEs, which are the backbone of the UK economy but which are increasingly exposed as they race to meet modern digital expectations and standards," Vasileiou added.

The cybersecurity sector faces huge challenges

Part of the problem, the report noted, is "misaligned supply and demand", with universities and training networks producing thousands of graduates annually, but employers still reporting shortages.

"The disconnect lies in the types of skills being taught versus those needed—particularly at mid-level and specialist tiers," the report noted.

The paper also highlighted the difficulty of joining the industry at graduate level, calling for more apprenticeships to help develop applicable skills for aspiring security professionals.

"Entry-level pathways are limited and confusing, with job adverts frequently demanding years of experience," the report noted.

All of that is exacerbated by disruption in the industry from automation and AI, according to Vasileiou. AI solutions aren’t just being used by professionals operating in the sector, but by threat actors to fine-tune capabilities and accelerate attacks.

While learning AI fundamentals is key, merely gaining technical skills in such technologies isn't sufficient, the report warned.

"AI is not just a technical problem — it is a socio-technical issue requiring interdisciplinary thinking," the paper added.

"There’s currently a mismatch between Government industrial ambition and educational reality," she added. "We won’t secure a 21st Century digital economy with a 20th Century skills pipeline."

Five steps to close the skills gap

To address this confluence of issues, Vasileiou’s paper outlined five key steps to improve the cybersecurity training situation across the country.

This includes calls for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to set up a taskforce to create a cyber skills ‘taxonomy’.

The report noted this will define roles, career pathways, and skill levels, helping to ensure we know what training is needed and what jobs it will lead to. The next step is to set up a national delivery body to govern that taxonomy.

Beyond that, Vasileiou called for employer incentives — such as grants or best-practice endorsements — to encourage the adoption of standardization in security recruitment with regard to skills.

"This will help shift recruitment away from outdated proxies (e.g. certifications alone) toward clear, inclusive role definitions," the report added.

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Meta has been on a multi-billion dollar hiring spree in recent months, and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis thinks it shows the company is scrambling to keep pace in the AI race.

In a recent appearance on the Lex Fridman podcast, Hassabis suggested the tech giant is fighting tooth and nail to catch competitors in the space, noting that they’re “not at the frontier” – and top AI talent could bridge the gap.

“It’s probably rational what they’re doing from their perspective because they’re behind and they need to do something,” he told Fridman.

Spearheaded by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s quest to secure top talent has seen the tech giant dangle eye-watering offers to high-profile figures from the generative AI space.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said last month that Meta had attempted to poach AI researchers with signing-on bonuses as high as $100 million. These sums pale in comparison to another big money offer put to a leading industry figure.

Zuckerberg reportedly reached out with an offer to acquire the startup launched by OpenAI’s former CTO, Mira Murati. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the offer was knocked back and staff at the startup were met with an onslaught of job offers.

The proposal, put to co-founder Andrew Tulloch, included a billion-dollar package that could exceed $1.5 billion over six years with bonuses taken into account, sources told the WSJ.

Billion-dollar pay packages for a single individual may seem unlikely, but given Meta’s current focus, it’s clear Zuckerberg is willing to part with cash to secure the industry’s top figures.

In June, the tech giant unveiled the launch of the Meta Superintelligence Labs, a new division aimed at driving development of new foundation models, including its Llama range.

Notably, the unit will be led by some other high-profile hires, including Scale AI’s former CEO, Alexandr Wang and Nat Friedman, former chief executive at GitHub.

Wang, who now serves as Meta’s Chief AI officer, was brought onboard following the company’s $14.3 billion investment in the AI startup.

Hassabis noted that one key challenge facing Meta may lie in how many researchers view their role in pioneering the technology – they’re looking to “steward the technology safely into the world”.

“There’s more important things than just money,” he told Fridman. Of course, one has to pay people their market rates and all of these things, and that continues to go up.”

The quest for top AI talent

Lower down the food chain, the same talent-related issues are affecting enterprises across a range of industries. Since the advent of generative AI in late 2022, enterprises have faced acute shortages of workers with AI skills.

Research from Amazon Web Services (AWS) in early 2024 showed some employers are willing to pay a 31% premium for staff with relevant AI expertise.

The findings, based on a survey of IT leaders, showed that staff with experience in research and development also command a 30% premium. Workers with AI skills in domains such as marketing, finance, and sales, can also expect a 27% pay bump, the survey found.

Similar research from Indeed in February 2024 showed that workers with AI skills can expect to command a wage 47% higher than those without.

Higher salary demands also create a bigger strain on budgets, however. Analysis from CloudZero found that while investment in the technology is surging, expectations among top talent mean hiring is a challenge for some enterprises.

35% of companies surveyed by the firm said rising salary costs are among the biggest barriers to filling gaps in their AI talent pool, further exacerbating the issue.

All told, typical salaries top $100,000, the study found, with a quarter earning between $150,000 and $200,000.

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‘Soft skills’ are crucial in driving successful AI adoption projects, according to new research from Multiverse, but finding staff with these traits is easier said than done.

In a study of ‘AI power-users’, the digital skills company found analytical reasoning, communication skills, and ethical understanding ranked among the top ‘human skillsets’ required for AI adoption.

These, Multiverse noted, are equally important as technical skills such as prompt engineering, AI model evaluation, and AI process modelling.

Gary Eimerman, chief learning officer at Multiverse, said the research underlines the importance of a combined approach to AI adoption which combines both technical proficiency alongside broader skills development.

The focus on soft skills is by no means a new trend. Indeed, cultural change has traditionally been a key hurdle in digital transformation projects and an area tech leaders have struggled with over the last decade.

“Leaders are spending millions on AI tools, but their investment focus isn't going to succeed. They think it's a technology problem when it's really a human and technology problem,” he said.

“Without a deliberate focus on capabilities like analytical reasoning and creativity, as well as culture and behaviors, AI projects will never deliver up to their potential.

The study comes in the wake of similar research highlighting the impact of soft skills on AI-ready workforces, according to Multiverse. Analysis from Accenture, for example, found that companies that prioritize soft skills are nearly twice as likely to successfully adopt and integrate AI.

So, with soft skills now make or break for enterprises across a range of industries, what should tech leaders focus on?

The soft skills needed for AI success

Multiverse based its top soft skills on observational research with frequent AI users alongside its own learnings in upskilling workers in the use of the technology.

Based on these findings, the company has pulled together an array of human skills that are key to supporting technical AI adoption.

These skills, Multiverse said, form part of its broader skills taxonomy - “a hierarchical system mapping the skills required for success in the digital era”.

‘Cognitive skills’ were among the most important identified by the firm, with staff capable of reasoning and problem solving among the best-suited to support AI adoption projects.

These cognitive skills span three main areas:

• Analytical reasoning
• Creativity
• Systems thinking

Analytical reasoning skills, by Multiverse’s definition, allow staff to break down “complex information for AI to more effectively deliver its instructions” and help them recognize tasks that AI isn’t suitable for.

Systems thinking ties in closely with analytical reasoning, with staff possessing these specific skills capable of identifying particular patterns in AI performance to predict how the technology or tools will respond to certain tasks.

Creativity was also identified as a key soft skill. This is particularly important during the early stages of adoption, as creative-minded staff are more likely to be “pushing the boundaries of AI use” and experimenting with ways the technology can be used to deliver benefits for themselves and coworkers.

Responsible AI skills are vital

Elsewhere, staff with ‘responsible AI skills’ are vital for enterprises, Multiverse noted. Those with an understanding of the potential harms of the technology are more likely to apply “ethical principles to ensure the responsible use of AI” and consider its impact on individuals.

This includes “spotting bias and recognizing how it affects AI outcomes” as well as the ability to identify when AI outputs lack sufficient geographic or cultural awareness.

A recent study from Trustmarque warned about the risks of AI bias, particularly during development processes.

The study noted that enterprises are building and deploying AI models designed for traditional software processes and fail to account for risks such as model bias.

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The UK government has announced plans to invest £187 million to bolster tech skills across the country in a move welcomed by industry stakeholders.

Unveiled on the opening day of London Tech Week, the ‘TechFirst’ program aims to give young people and workers across the UK access to training schemes in areas such as artificial intelligence.

The program will see individuals given options to upskill and reskill, while around one million secondary school students will have the chance to “learn about technology and gain access to new skills training and career opportunities”.

The move by the government comes in the wake of research from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DIST), which found that by 2035 roughly 10 million workers will be in positions where AI plays a role in some form of their daily responsibilities.

Research from the DSIT also found an additional 3.9 million workers will hold positions in which AI directly impacts their role.

Speaking at London Tech Week, prime minister Keir Starmer said the scheme aimed to put “AI into the hands of the next generation so they can shape the future” and not be shaped by it.

“This training program will unlock opportunity in every classroom – and lays the foundations for a new era of growth,” he said. “Too many children from working families like the one I grew up in are written off. I am determined to end that.”

“This program is the Plan for Change in action – breaking down barriers, driving innovation, and giving every young person the chance of a good, well paid job and a bright future,” Starmer added.

As part of the country-wide skills focus, Starmer said collaboration between government and industry stakeholders will be key.

This will include partnerships with a host of major tech firms, including Nvidia, Google, and Microsoft, to give 7.5 million workers opportunities to learn “essential” AI skills by 2030 to meet growing demands.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who appeared on stage with Starmer at the opening of the week-long event, said AI talent and skills will be “crucial ingredients” in the UK’s long-term goal to position itself as a leading tech economy.

“We’re delighted to partner with the government to train the next generation of AI developers, capable of finding new cures for diseases, discovering new materials and building world-class AI companies,” he said.

TechFirst program a “major step forward” for UK industry

The move has been welcomed as a positive step in both bolstering the UK’s tech skills pool and giving individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities an opportunity to pursue tech careers.

Sheila Flavell CBE, COO of FDM Group, said it’s “encouraging to see the government prioritizing skills development” for young people in particular.

“As technology continues to evolve at pace, equipping individuals with the right training is crucial to ensure they can thrive in emerging fields such as AI, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure,” he said.

“There must be a continued focus on building accessible pathways into these careers, such as apprenticeships which play a vital role in this, supporting lifelong learning and upskilling to meet the needs of a dynamic workforce,” Flavell added.

“By investing in high-quality training and promoting greater diversity in tech, we can empower the next generation to drive innovation and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in digital industries."

The training program will include the launch of an online platform which aims to provide learning tools and training opportunities for students interested in technology careers.

This already has over 100,000 students registered, according to the government, and will be supported by a “local delivery partner” in each of the UK’s regions and constituent nations.

Greg Fuller, VP of Skillsoft Codecademy, echoed Flavell’s comments, noting that it represents a “major step forward” for the industry and will help cultivate a digitally literate workforce.

“With a £187 million investment dedicated to expanding access to digital and AI learning, this initiative shows that the UK is investing not just in technology, but in people,” he said.

“In an AI-driven economy, digital literacy isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. While AI is transforming how we work, its true potential will only be realized when individuals have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to use them effectively.

“By aiming to equip 1 million secondary school students and 7.5 million workers with foundational AI and digital skills by 2030, the government is taking bold action to close the digital skills gap at scale and at pace.”

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Tech upskilling platform Multiverse has announced plans to train 15,000 new AI apprentices over the next two years.

The apprenticeships will be created and delivered in partnership with employers around the country, including Skanska, Visa, Capita, and Legal & General.

"AI isn't just a buzzword for us; it's a critical enabler of efficiency and growth. AI will soon be embedded in all our delivery teams, to help us create innovative solutions for our customers," said Derrick Hastie, chief technology officer, asset management, at L&G.

"But technology alone isn't enough. Education and skills are essential to ensure our people aren't just observers of change — they're active architects of it."

Meanwhile, professional services company Capita has enrolled nearly 200 apprentices onto AI programs across its UK offices from Bradford to Bristol, while Nottingham City Council is upskilling 40 of its staff in AI.

Multiverse, which already has more than 2,200 AI apprentices enrolled through over 200 employers, said the program supports the government's AI Opportunities Action Plan.

"Cutting-edge technologies like AI are transforming the way our economy works, so it is vital that British people have the right skills to make the most of the new opportunities tech presents. These efforts are central to the ambitions for jobs and growth, at the heart of our Plan for Change," said science and technology secretary Peter Kyle.

"Multiverse's commitment to thousands of AI apprenticeships will help us achieve just that, backing people right across our country to develop the skills they need to for a career in AI, no matter where they live."

The new AI apprentices are starting to enrol through their employers already, either coming in as new hires or through upskilling initiatives for existing staff.

The aim is to tailor training to apprentices' level of expertise, from AI ethics and prompt engineering to data management, governance, and the development of machine learning and AI models.

All programs will be delivered by industry-expert coaches, with the apprentices’ new skills put into practice in their day-to-day roles. Apprenticeships are available for people of any age or at any stage of their career.

"Whether it's impacting you directly yet or not, we are already undergoing an AI revolution - and the key to winning in this new era lies in augmenting human capability," said Multiverse CEO Euan Blair.

"Our commitment to 15,000 AI apprenticeships is a bold declaration that AI skills must be for everyone, at every stage of their career. We want to equip entire organisations with the ability to seize the opportunities AI offers and build the workforce of tomorrow."

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Millennials are driving the AI revolution in workplaces by focusing on the necessary skills development, according to new research.

A study from Workday found the cohort had the strongest belief in AI and was taking a more proactive approach to capitalize on the technology through skills development — though millennials and Gen X staff both largely agreed on the matter.

Of course, millennials are hardly the youngsters in work anymore — the term refers to people born between 1981 and 1996, now aged 29 to 44. As a generation that has grown up with changing technology and now in positions of management, it makes sense that this cohort is leading innovation in the workplace.

The research showed that 60% of millennial leaders were concerned about a skills shortage, more than the 47% of Gen X leaders. Similarly, 92% of millennials were keen to pursue a more proactive approach to skills development, versus 76% of Gen X employees who were surveyed.

"Agentic AI is ushering in a new world of digital labor, where you can scale and transform with autonomous agents whilst augmenting the workforce," said Paul O’Sullivan, SVP Solution Engineering and UKI CTO at Salesforce, in a statement provided by Workday.

"This represents a unique opportunity to unlock new levels of productivity, autonomy, and speed only if leaders and workers reskill and upskill. All industries and teams need to be empowered to redesign and redeploy talent for the skills the AI-powered economy demands."

Workday has previously released research saying that AI could be the key to solving the UK's productivity problem, but earlier this year slashed 10% of its own workforce amid a strategic shift to AI.

Differing priorities

Notably, the study suggested Gen X leaders placed more importance on operational and specialist skills, including project management and engineering. This came in stark contrast to millennial leaders who prioritized "human skills" such as leadership and communication.

A majority of both generational cohorts saw focusing on skills development as a way to close productivity gaps, reduce unemployment, equalize access to opportunities, and increase inclusion, but on each point millennials were ten to 25 points ahead of their older colleagues.

Again, both groups see AI as a useful tool for shifting an organization towards a skills-based approach, but a third of millennials are concerned their employer lacks clarity on using AI to address talent shortages versus just 14% of Gen Xers polled.

Nine-in-ten of both cohorts say they believe their organizations are heading in the right direction, at least.

"The UK faces a pivotal challenge: our workforce models are lagging behind the pace of technological change," said Daniel Pell, Vice President and Country Manager for the UK and Ireland at Workday.

"To compete in an AI-driven economy, businesses must rethink how they identify and develop skills. This is not a question of technology alone, it is a question of leadership, agility and long-term competitiveness. The organizations that succeed will be those that treat workforce transformation as a strategic priority, ensuring both people and AI can work effectively together."

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The rapid explosion of AI has created the UK's biggest and fastest growing tech skills shortage in more than 15 years, according to new research.

Findings from the latest Nash Squared/Harvey Nash Digital Leadership Report shows that nine-in-ten technology leaders across the country are now either piloting AI or investing in development projects.

This sharpened focus on adoption and implementation is causing issues with regard to talent, however, with half revealing they are now contending with a significant AI skills shortage - marking a 20% increase on last year.

Yet despite facing talent shortages, only four-in-ten organisations are upskilling current staff to compensate, the study noted.

“As AI continues to accelerate, the scale of the skills challenge is becoming clear. UK businesses have a pressing need to ensure their technology teams are equipped with the skills to leverage AI to full effect, or the implementations they are making could fall short," warned Bev White, CEO of Nash Squared.

"As AI is so new, there is no ‘playbook’ here – it’s about a mix of approaches including formal training where available, reskilling IT staff and staff outside of the traditional IT function to widen the pool, on-the-job experimentation, and knowledge sharing and transfer."

Bullish enterprises are pushing ahead with hiring

The organizations that are furthest ahead with large-scale implementations are 21% more likely to be increasing their tech headcount than the rest, mostly in the areas of AI and data.

Notably, while UK tech leaders said they expected one-in-seven of their technology jobs to be carried out by AI in the next five years, the report found that AI isn’t replacing people, it’s simply changing the kind of people leaders want to hire

Almost two-thirds of UK tech leaders, for example, said they'd choose an AI-skilled software developer with just two years’ experience over one with a five-year career but no AI skills.

In other areas of tech, with the number of cyber attacks in the UK increasing once again, demand for cyber skills is surging, with Nash Squared recording a 43% increase since last year's report.

When it comes to software engineers, though, there was actually a decline in demand, down by 8%. The report suggests that with software development the most widely adopted use case for AI, the technology is finally plugging a long-standing skills gap.

Salaries are rising

Rates of pay are also improving across the sector, the study found, particularly among senior staff. More than half of UK tech leaders said they had received a salary increase in the last year.

Of those that pulled in a pay rise of 10% or more, three-quarters had a CEO who's significantly more focused on technology making money for the organization, rather than saving it.

"AI is front and center of most organizations’ technology plans – and it’s encouraging to see that the UK businesses that are the furthest ahead also have the biggest people need. Rather than killing jobs, AI is changing them and creating new working models," said Andy Heyes, managing director of Harvey Nash, UK&I and Central Europe.

"It is also spilling over into a higher likelihood of pay rises, on average, for technology leaders. AI is changing the technology industry and the people dynamics within it, creating new fields of opportunity for those that embrace the challenge."

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Women are much more likely than men to see cybersecurity as a shared responsibility across an organization, but aren't getting the training they should.

Managed threat detection and response provider e2e-assure surveyed 1,000 employees across a range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, professional services and financial services.

Researchers found that while half of women said they viewed cybersecurity as the responsibility of everyone in the organization, the same was true of only three-in-ten men.

Nearly nine-in-ten workers said they had been the victim of a cyber attack at work.

Notably, 28% of women said they were unclear of the consequences of falling prey to cyber criminals, compared with 16% of men. And there's also less awareness of AI policies amongst women, at 21%, compared with 27% for men.

Meanwhile, when a breach does occur, only three-in-ten women receive the necessary training - and risk a disciplinary if they cause another breach - compared with 35% of men.

"Cybersecurity in 2025 and beyond is not just an IT issue, it’s a business-wide responsibility. Our research reveals that while men and women recognise the importance of security, businesses are missing a crucial opportunity to drive forward cyber resilience, as they feel disconnected to training provided," said Rob Demain, CEO of e2e-assure.

"This means men are less likely to recognize the importance of their cybersecurity practices for the rest of the organization. And while women view it as a collective responsibility, they’re uncertain about the consequences, due to lack of training effectiveness."

A quarter of men said they saw themselves as responsible for the security of their company, compared with just 18% of women. And it's important, the researchers concluded, that employees do have this sense of collective responsibility.

"To relieve frustration and fatigue for cyber risk owners, and build resilience from the ground up, an organization needs to have a 'one team, one dream' mentality," they wrote.

"There needs to be a strong narrative in place, positioning cybersecurity as a collective responsibility, driving an internal cybersecurity culture to ensure employees are engaged with training and policies."

Employees should be kept at the center of the security strategy and involved in the creation of policies, the report recommended. Security measures should be explained clearly and feedback collected regularly, with training and security measures adapted accordingly.

However, things could be worse, according to research from non-profit cybersecurity training organization ISC2, which recently found that more than a third of women are now involved in creating organizational Gen AI use policy - 5% higher than the figure for men.

They're also working harder to get certifications, with more than a quarter working towards AI-specific security certifications, compared with just 18% of men.

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Fiverr CEO Micha Kaufman warned staff over the potential impact of AI on jobs, urging them to upskill and adapt amidst the rise of the technology.

In an internal memo sent to some 700 staff and subsequently published on social media, Kaufman said employees should take steps to future proof their careers in the long term.

“I’ve always believed in radical candor and despise those who sugar-coat reality to avoid stating the unpleasant truth,” he wrote. “The very basis for radical candor is care.”

“So here is the unpleasant truth: AI is coming for your jobs. Heck, it’s coming for my job too. This is a wake-up call”.

Kaufman warned that the scope of AI-related job losses will continue to widen as the technology becomes more pervasive across a number of industries. Administrative or support roles will no longer be exclusively in the crosshairs as more technical positions will begin feeling the strain.

“It does not matter if you are a programmer, designer, product manager, data scientist, lawyer, customer support rep, salesperson, or a finance person - AI is coming for you,” he added.

With the threat of their roles being rendered obsolete as a result of AI, Kaufman strongly advised staff to begin upskilling or reskilling, else they’ll “face the need for a career change in a matter of months”.

Recommended approaches from the chief exec included finding the ‘most knowledgeable people” on their team to help them “become more familiar with the latest and greatest in AI” and “become a prompt engineer”.

“LLM and GenAI are the new basics, and if you’re not using them as experts, your value will decrease before you know what hit you”.

“Get involved in making the organization more efficient using AI tools and technologies. It does not make sense to hire more people before we learn how to do more with what we have.”

Going all in on prompt engineering might not work out

Prompt engineering was hailed as the next big thing in the tech profession following the advent of generative AI. But staff taking Kaufman’s advice at face value might find they’re still walking into obsolescence.

Research from VMware last year suggested AI models were actually becoming better suited to generating their own prompts.

These claims were based on tests comparing human-generated “positive thinking” prompts against “systematic prompt optimization” - essentially AI-generated prompts.

Automated processes delivered better results, researchers found.

At the time, experts told ITPro that despite the hype, tech workers hedging their bets on prompt engineering as a future career path might quickly find themselves flung onto the scrap heap.

The slow creep of AI job losses

The topic of AI-related job losses has become a contentious topic in both the tech industry and broader business landscape. Shortly after the advent of generative AI in late 2022, research from Goldman Sachs suggested that hundreds of millions of roles could be rendered obsolete within the space of a decade due to automation.

While widespread job losses haven’t yet materialized as a direct result of AI adoption, there have been signs that the technology is influencing hiring patterns and layoffs at a host of major tech companies.

Earlier this year, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff suggested that the firm might not hire any new software engineers as a result of its internal agentic AI gains. Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hinted that the firm could begin replacing engineers with AI.

Running parallel to predictions of AI replacement in some professions, we’ve also seen enterprises justify layoffs as a result of their sharpened focus on the technology.

Last year, a host of major tech companies, including Cisco, and Dell Technologies, justified cuts under the auspices of ‘focusing on high-growth areas’ and ‘streamlining layers of management’.

They aren’t alone in this, however. In February this year, Workday announced plans to cut its workforce by 8.5% as the company ramps up its AI focus.

Confirming the move, CEO Carl Eschenbach said the current business landscape required a new approach and that the firm will reassess where its key focus areas lie.

“Companies everywhere are reimagining how work gets done, and the increasing demand for AI has the potential to drive a new era of growth for Workday,” Eschenbach.

Upskilling will be vital

Kaufman’s calls for staff to upskill appear justified, with research showing that workers across a host of professions and industries will need to adapt due to the influx of AI tools.

Research from Gartner in late 2024 suggested that 80% of the software engineering workforce will need to upskill by 2027, for example.

Attracting staff with AI skills has been a major focus for big tech companies over the last two years, and there are signs the industry is facing a significant deficit in this regard.

The situation has forced many companies to pay well over the odds to poach staff with expertise in these domains, with research from AWS showing some are willing to pay as high as a 31% premium.

Alternative research from Indeed revealed AI skills could secure workers some of the most financially rewarding jobs, with half of the highest-paid skills related to AI and offering an average salary of $174,000.

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IBM has teamed up with the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) for a cyber skills program for girls.

The company confirmed it will provide the online platform for this year's CyberFirst Girls competition, a UK-wide program open to girls between the ages of 12 and 13.

Run by the NCSC, the competition is the UK’s flagship cybersecurity program for schools, with more than 85,000 students across the country having taken part since its launch in 2017.

Students participate in a series of cyber challenges ranging from cryptography and networking to AI.

"IBM is delighted to build upon our partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre by supporting the CyberFirst Girls competition with DSIT," said Mark Hughes, IBM global managing partner for cybersecurity.

"This new collaboration is a significant step towards nurturing the next generation of cyber leaders, ensuring a more inclusive and robust industry. We are confident that this partnership will make a substantial impact in encouraging more young girls to pursue rewarding careers in cybersecurity."

While average salaries in the sector top £56,000 – with the top 20% earning between £73,000 and £350,000 - almost half of UK businesses report having cybersecurity skills gaps.

More than four-in-ten have a basic skills gap, research shows, while 27% have gaps in advanced skills such as penetration testing.

But while broadening the talent pool clearly helps, official figures show that women currently make up just 17% of the UK's cyber workforce.

Diversity in cyber still lacking

Last year, the government's annual cybersecurity skills report found that, despite a significant skills gap, a lack of diversity is a persistent challenge in the workforce.

While there's been a general upward trend in the number of women from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK cybersecurity workforce, this improvement appears to have tailed off.

"If we’re going to keep the UK safe from the threats we face online, then we need to build a diverse workforce which is reflective of every community in the country," said minister for cybersecurity Feryal Clark.

“By partnering with IBM to deliver the next edition of the CyberFirst Girls Competition, we’re driving forward our plans to do exactly that – building up the skills of young girls across the country and nurturing the next generation of UK cyber leaders."

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The government must intervene in upskilling workers for the AI revolution, with industry experts warning it can't be left to industry alone.

That's the assessment offered by a panel of digital training experts speaking at AI UK, the annual conference held by the Alan Turing Institute.

The rise of AI has many concerned about the impact on jobs, suggesting a degree of retraining will be needed to help humans keep pace with the technology — or find a new role entirely. Those left behind without AI skills will be stuck in less well paying jobs, according to one report.

Beyond that, tech giants and governments alike are concerned about the lack of AI talent coming through the pipeline, with a shortage of skilled AI experts predicted to slow innovation — that's the motivation behind the UK's AI Action Plan, which aims to create 13,000 jobs in the industry.

But while meeting this expected demand will be a cross-sector challenge, David Crozier, director of the AI Collaboration Centre (AICC), noted that filling future gaps can’t be left to tech companies.

“Industry only supports it [training efforts] if they see commercial opportunity at the end of it,” he told attendees.

But there's more to AI than just productivity for companies, notes Tom Crick, Professor of Digital Education & Policy at Swansea University and the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Beyond the economy, AI has a very clear social and cultural imperative.

"The lens through which you view AI upskilling, for this to be responsible and ethical, and be citizen centered — is this of benefit to citizens and society, not just that it will help get a job or as an industry thing," he said.

"The pace of change is so quick, it really needs a nation wide or region wide intervention," added Crozier, comparing it — rather surprisingly — to sheep dipping, the process by which the animals are treated with pesticides to avoid the spread of parasites.

That said, the panelists agreed there was a role for companies to make use of micro-learning and offer life-long learning opportunities to enable employees to keep up. Liz Williams, the CEO of FutureDotNow, called for a cultural change in these topics, to centre them in our work lives.

Existing skills gap

Perhaps we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Williams noted that her organization's research suggests more than half of the UK workforce currently lack the essential 20 or so digital skills for work — and that's before AI comes into the picture.

"These are not advanced skills. Nine of the tasks are about online safety and security," she said, such as passwords. "People do not necessarily have those skills."

Williams noted that this applies across all demographics. One-in-two academics, for example, lacks one of 20 digital skills designated as necessary in the modern workforce, as do half of young people.

"It's a really ubiquitous issue," she said. "We assume people will acquire these skills through osmosis, but they won't. We need to help them acquire and maintain those skills."

Confused companies

It's not just individuals struggling to see how they will stay relevant amid a rise in AI in the workplace. Company leaders are unsure of how to best use AI, added Crozier.

Discussing company leaders who came to his organization for support, Crozier said they admitted they lacked the core skills needed to implement AI, let alone their staff.

"They didn't know what they needed to procure, a lot of the individuals we engaged with, their understanding of AI was pretty limited — they understand ChatGPT or Copilot, and they use it as a glorified Google."

To help, Crozier said he's been trying to explain the broader underlying technologies, while asking them what specific problems they're trying to solve, while also addressing issues like costs and ROI.

"It's not just about basic AI literacy, the leadership in those organizations are crying out for advice and guidance and a bit more knowledge — and perhaps they're a little bit embarrassed about their lack of understanding."

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With more than half of enterprise leaders worried about future skills shortages, many organizations are turning to a range of new techniques to expand potential talent pools.

According to Workday's Global State of Skills report, only 54% of leaders say they have a clear view of the skills within their workforce today, and fewer than a third are confident that their organization has the skills needed for long-term success.

It's not always technical skill sets that are in high demand, however, with the research finding an equally critical need for uniquely human skill sets.

Social skills like communication and teamwork, and individual skills like resilience and creativity are listed as the most impactful skill gaps faced by organizations today, followed by digital fluency, including AI and software proficiency.

Indeed, the study noted that these skills shortages are leading to a move away from the traditional focus on job roles, qualifications, or titles when hiring and fostering talent.

Workday found firms are instead moving to ‘skills-based talent strategies’, which prioritize an individual’s capabilities over traditional credentials and focus on identifying, developing, and deploying specific skills and competencies.

According to the study, more than half of organizations worldwide are already switching to a skills-based talent model, with another 23% planning to start this year.

Eight-in-ten leaders agree that adopting a skills-based approach improves productivity, innovation, and organizational agility. They also said it increased access to job opportunities for employees, improved workforce equality, and cut unemployment.

Notably, AI is helping here by streamlining routine and repetitive tasks, enhancing decision making with data-driven insights, personalizing learning and development programs, and predicting the need for future skills.

"AI is reshaping the workplace, but the human element has never been more essential," said Chris Ernst, chief learning officer at Workday.

"Organizations that embrace a skills-first mindset will not only unlock AI’s potential but also harness human ingenuity in new and transformative ways."

There are, though, challenges to a skills-based approach. The time needed to reskill employees was a problem for 43% of business leaders, with 38% having difficulties caused by resistance to change.

Meanwhile, 28% cited a lack of infrastructure to support skills-based talent management, and the same number highlighted inadequate skills measurement tools.

‘Hiring for promise’ gains traction

Running parallel to the skills-based strategy approach, many organizations are also employing ‘hiring for promise’ practices.

Hiring for promise is a recruitment technique which takes into account a candidate’s potential willingness to expand on their existing skill sets, developing new capabilities to support the organization.

Recent analysis from Gartner found that adopting this approach - rather than focusing primarily on traditional criteria - is the most effective and efficient way to close skills gaps in enterprises.

Gartner’s study found that employees hired on promise were 1.9 times more likely to perform effectively, and played a vital role in plugging talent gaps.

Notably, half of HR leaders said this has been driven by the fact that demand for skills is evolving rapidly, meaning in-house talent can’t keep up with new requirements.

Similarly, with talent pools drying up across a range of professions, recruitment professionals are widening their nets to compensate.

"Waiting to find an employee with all of the exact skills listed for a role significantly shrinks the pool of potential candidates," said Annika Jessen, director of the Gartner HR practice.

"Instead, managers should focus on defining simple, foundational role requirements to reach a wider group of candidates."

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While government plans to create 13,000 jobs as part of its AI Action Plan have been welcomed, researchers have raised concerns over a potential lack of skilled labor to meet growing demand in the industry.

AI positions are among the hardest for organizations to fill, according to a study from HR platform Deel, with nearly a quarter of enterprises revealing they were most worried about their ability to recruit for AI roles this year.

Matt Monette, UK country manager at Deel, said the UK’s ambition to become a global hub for AI innovation will “hinge on whether organizations have the right skills to make that happen”.

"Clearly, businesses are worried that isn’t the case and without the right people, they - and the wider British economy - will struggle to realise the benefits that AI promises,” he said.

As a result, many organizations are looking overseas to attract the right talent, researchers found. Nearly half of business leaders said they were considering hiring for tech jobs internationally this year.

Nearly three-quarters of IT firms specifically said they would hire internationally to accommodate for talent shortages.

"Hiring from abroad can ease this pain point, letting organizations expand their nets for identifying the right skills for plugging technical gaps," Monette said.

"Plus, not only does it bring in the talent necessary for today’s tech challenges but also sets the stage for sustainable growth in a world where workers are increasingly demanding flexibility to work from anywhere."

The main sources of foreign talent are the US and Europe, both cited by around half the respondents, followed by Canada at 32%. Asian regions such as India and China were also seen as potential talent hubs.

International demand for UK tech roles is already high, Deel data shows, with visa applications placing Britain as the fifth most popular country globally for expats working in the sector.

Red tape could hinder access to international talent

However, British businesses are worried about the potential barriers restricting them from accessing global talent.

The largest concerns highlighted by enterprises include complex legal requirements, cited 55%, followed by stricter immigration policies and compliance risks, both cited by about half of business leaders.

The government outlined a series of steps aimed at bolstering AI-related talent to accommodate its plans.

Notably, the AI Action Plan specifically highlighted scholarship and fellow programs as potential ways to drive talent into the sector, along with the creation of Skills England and the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

These initiatives, it said, would help upskill the existing workforce, as well as teaching young people key skills.

Concerns over AI talent are by no means a new trend for UK tech businesses, with research from last year highlighting this as one of the key barriers to adoption plans.

In a survey from Red Hat, more than eight-in-ten tech leaders said the sector faces an ‘urgent’ AI talent gap. Workers skilled in areas such as generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and data science were hugely sought after, but enterprises struggled to fill roles.

This marked an increase compared to the year prior, Red Hat noted, with AI skills shortages now representing the biggest headache for c-suites ahead of access to cybersecurity talent.

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Only four-in-ten businesses have programs in place to hire more women, new research shows, despite a majority of IT professionals agreeing that there's not enough diversity in the sector.

According to a new study from ISACA, three-quarters of businesses say that attracting and retaining talent is a challenge. But female IT professionals believe they are still being shut out.

Nearly half (43%) of female respondents said a main reason that women are still underrepresented in tech roles is because most IT role models and leaders are male.

Other key issues highlighted in the study included pay inequality, according to 42% of women, though this was recognized by only 15% of men.

Overall, men tended to rate their sense of authority in specific areas of their current role more highly than women. This showed up particularly when it came to making purchasing decisions, where there was a gap of 13 percentage points, and in contributing to company strategy and direction, with a 10-point gap.

"More needs to be done to increase the representation of women in the IT and technology sector — and more needs to be done to welcome their leadership and influence," said Julia Kanouse, chief membership officer at ISACA, who oversees the association’s SheLeadsTech program.

"This will not only help to address the global skills gap and boost productivity in the sector—it will also create a more inclusive and diverse working environment."

The survey found that more than half of women would like to see more mentors or role models, with others calling for tech clubs or women's networking groups and for more female tech professors to be hired.

However, 68% of women - along with 72% of men - said they were extremely or very satisfied with their career progression. Meanwhile, 73% of women and 71% percent of men said they had received a salary increase or promotion in the last two years.

"Encouragingly, women have near-equal career progression satisfaction to their male counterparts and are slightly more likely to have received a raise or a promotion in the last two years," said Sarah Orton, UK and Europe lead for ISACA's SheLeadsTech initiative.

A report this time last year from career advice site Women in Tech uncovered five common obstacles facing women entering the tech sector.

These included lack of awareness and industry contact, a lack of role models, confidence issues, exclusionary hiring processes, and discrimination - all similar to the barriers identified by ISACA.

"Having a workforce of people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to bring to the table is not only the right thing to do – it’s also a business imperative that makes an organization more innovative and its work that much more efficient and effective,” Orton said.

“Progress has been made – but the sector has more work to do.”

UK employees are open to businesses bringing artificial intelligence (AI) into the workplace, but want greater transparency from business leaders on what their plans to implement this technology looks like.

This is according to a survey of 2,741 UK employees conducted by work management platform Asana’s Work Innovation Lab. 

Those surveyed are largely open to the use of AI in the workplace, with 92% saying they want to use the technology to help improve efficiency and reclaim time in their job. This correlates with the findings of research carried out by Microsoft in mid 2023, which found people were more focused on the potential benefits AI could bring them in their role than job security.

This general positive feeling towards AI is hampered by a perceived lack of transparency from senior management, however; only 30% of employees surveyed said they had sufficient clarity on their organization’s plans to use AI. In contrast, 39% of senior leaders said they believe they have been transparent on this matter.

The data also suggests that the use of AI in businesses are now significant factors that contribute to career planning in the UK. For example, 56% of workers said how transparent a company is about its use of AI will influence their career planning, with 40% saying whether or not they are offered training on AI would have an impact on their decision.

Reflecting on the results of the survey, Rebecca Hinds,Head of the Work Innovation Lab at Asana, said: “In order to harness the promise and the potential of AI in our workplace we need to adopt a deeply human approach. Decades of research show that the implementation of new technology fails in most cases not because the technology isn’t efficient, but because humans naturally resist change. We need to prioritize change management, upskilling and reskilling, and experimentation in order to make AI successful.”

Hinds is not alone in her concern. In a global survey of over 3,000 business leaders by professional services company Avanade, 63% of respondents said they believe employees will need some new skills or a completely new set of skills to work with generative AI. An overwhelming majority –98% – said support will be needed to train employees in the use of generative AI tools, while 50% foresee this as requiring significant support.

The leaders that participated in Avanade’s research are also optimistic about AI’s impact on the workplace as the technology is scaled. For example, 64% of respondents believe AI will maintain or increase the number of human roles at their organization in 2024, with most expecting the headcount to increase by up to 9%.

Jobseekers are becoming increasingly picky with seeking opportunities and demanding greater benefits and incentives from employers, according to new research from Gartner. 

The consultancy’s latest HR survey found that half of candidates who accepted jobs over the last 12 months have backed out prior to starting, with respondents stating that their prospective employer did not match their expectations.

According to the survey, over one-third (35%) of respondents said they had received “four or more” offers during their most recent job search. 

Similarly, nearly half (46%) said they still remained open to offers after accepting a position, believing they could secure a better role if they extended their search. 

Applicants backed out of job offers for a range of reasons, Gartner found – 59% said they specifically accepted a role due to flexibility benefits while others valued roles that provided better work-life balance and higher compensation. 

Firms that failed to meet these requirements often found themselves losing out on talent, despite them having accepted a role. 

Jamie Kohn, senior director in the Gartner HR practice said this highlights the changing demands being placed on firms by prospective employees and warned that some could miss out on vital talent if they fail to provide such incentives.

“Nearly 90% of candidates said they have exited a hiring process due to at least one mismatch in employee value proposition (EVP) preferences,” he said. 

“This includes compensation and benefits, but also things like flexibility in working hours, career pathing, skills development, team diversity, and management style.”

This changing dynamic with regard to employee requirements is exacerbating the increasingly competitive talent landscape that organizations must now contend with, Kohn said. 

A separate survey conducted by Gartner in December 2022 showed that 86% of CIOs reported heightened competition for talent and qualified candidates – a trend that is expected to continue. 

“Competition for talent remains steep – our research shows 59% of HR leaders expect more talent competition in the next three months,” he said. “We are seeing many candidates uncommitted to their new employer and keeping one foot in the job market.”

What employees want

Transparency in hiring processes was highlighted as a key stumbling block for candidates, with 68% of respondents stating they want to see concrete salary information in job postings. 

Nearly two-thirds (64%) revealed they are more likely to apply for a job that lists compensation in the job description while 44% said they refused to apply for a role because the employer failed to meet this requirement. 

Remote, hybrid, and flexible work options were also a key factor in a candidate's decision to apply for – and accept – a role at a company.  

Gartner said that 75% of candidates who can work remotely prefer to do so more than 50% of the time, and this is becoming a key stipulation in applications. 

A Gartner survey in May this year found that nearly half of employees seeking new job opportunities were actively doing so because of a desire for greater flexibility. 

“When it comes to pay transparency and return to office mandates, organizations can either enhance or impede their talent attraction efforts based on the decisions they make,” said Kohn.

While UK workers are growing increasingly receptive to the use of generative AI tools in their daily operations, many have lingering doubts that they are unable to use these technologies safely. 

A study from Salesforce found that more than one-third (38%) of workers are already using - or planning to use - generative AI in their jobs. However, a majority of survey respondents (62%) said they lack the skills to use them “accurately and safely”. 

Common concerns around accuracy and safety focused specifically on the potential for generative AI platforms to generate inaccurate, false, or misleading information. 

Nearly half (46%) revealed they held serious reservations about inaccurate outputs from these tools. 

Similarly, 58% said they were concerned about issues relating to bias when using generative AI technologies. 

The issue of accuracy has been a long-running trend since the emergence of tools such as ChatGPT in late 2022. 

While generative AI has been hailed as a transformative technology for improving productivity, concerns over the accuracy of the content generated by these platforms have been a recurring talking point. 

Some organizations have already advised workers against using them in workplace settings, while others like JPMorgan Chase said they will not be embracing generative AI until the widely known flaws have been addressed.

Zahra Bahrolouloumi, CEO at Salesforce UKI, said that although organizations are embracing the potential benefits of generative AI, safety and responsible use remains a key stumbling block. 

“Generative AI is the most important technological breakthrough of our lifetime, revolutionizing how businesses interact with customers,” she said. “But its potential will only be realized if we put trust and safety at the center of this technology.”

‘Trusted’ data and security skills a key requirement

Salesforce revealed that skills shortages at organizations across the UK pose a serious challenge to the uptake of generative AI tools. 

Previous research from the firm found that just one-in-ten UK workers felt they had adequate AI-related skills, including the knowledge of how to effectively use generative AI tools.

This latest study appears to reinforce the pervasive issue of skills shortages, highlighting that over two-thirds (67%) of workers are “concerned their broader teams do not have the skills to effectively and safely use generative AI. 

The long-running shortage of applicable skills is being exacerbated by the fact that organizations aren’t investing in training to use generative AI tools, the study noted. 

More than three-quarters (79%) of workers said their employers do not provide “any form” of generative AI training to support them in using these tools. 

Over half (55%) said they would like their employers to provide them with training opportunities to maximize the use of such tools and alleviate concerns over safe usage. 

Salesforce’s study found that the ‘democratization’ of AI skills should be viewed as a critical goal for enterprises to fully maximize the use of generative AI technologies in operations. 

Despite this, the survey noted there is a growing disparity between senior staff and the broader workforce at many organizations over how to responsibly integrate tools. 

More than three-quarters (77%) of C-suite and managing director-level employees said they were confident about their ability to safely implement generative AI technologies. However, fewer than one-third (35%) of senior and junior managers (29%) held the same views on the matter. 

Bahrolouloumi said the need for upskilling “at every level has never been more clear nor urgent” and urged organizations to prioritize training regimes for staff. 

As firms push to become more efficient, a strong internal development community can help them embrace agile development. So-called citizen developers – employees who aren’t developers but have ideas for internal apps – could be instrumental in this change.

Aerospace giant Rolls-Royce has embraced its internal developer community to drive change across its manufacturing and corporate environments. Through Microsoft’s low-code Power Apps platform, the company has allowed employees to overcome internal work hurdles via self-made software, as well as to build a lively developer community.

“This all started when as a team we asked ourselves the question: ‘What if 1,000 people could do something that would save £10,000 each?’,” says Stuart Hughes, CIO and chief digital officer (CDO) at Rolls-Royce, tells ITPro.

“That's actually really significant digital transformation, right? It fundamentally changes our finances, but also hopefully would give us a better product for our customers that meets that kind of availability reliability and efficiency.”

Recruiting citizen developers to build new apps

Rolls-Royce develops engines for a number of wide-body aircraft used for long-haul or cargo flights. The firm is a key part of the aerospace supply chain.

An app that employees have already created through Power Apps is a 24/7 on-call system for workers in R&D, allowing for internal innovation to happen around the clock.

“If a plane’s canceled, it can actually affect up to about 8,000 people for a single plane cancelation, so it can be quite significant if we don't do a great job.”

The firm tends to charge per engine flying hour rather than per unit sold, so ensuring engines work as intended and don't take long to be repaired is core to its business model. Hughes notes with the employee-developed on-call system, Rolls-Royce avoids spending on a third-party system.

Another example of internal success stories for the firm can be found in Kudos, an-employee led app through which colleagues can easily praise one another. Rolls-Royce credits Kudos with a 25% increase in employee engagement with the company culture, and helped remote workers feel more connected.

Despite these positive statistics, Hughes denies these micro-innovations are best judged by the cost savings they’ve generated.

“Microsoft is very keen for me to tell you in pound coins how much we’ve saved,” he says. “But I don’t think that’s what this is really about. If somebody asked them what digital transformation they’ve done, they can tell you the answer. And that is probably quite rare.”

This community is building itself

It became clear from the start that promoting low-code development was a cultural and strategic challenge rather than technical, head of self-service technology Phil Kaufman explains. His team worked to identify “evangelists” within the organization they could empower first and foremost.

“Actually, at that point, we knew the technology we needed, we knew the platform. It was about ‘who are the people that are going to actually try and help us to make this change across the business?’ and they’ve now become our super users, our champions that we use to do with other people in the business.”

The team had to carefully balance the power and potential of the platform with the user experience for these enthusiastic employees. Kaufman says Power BI allowed his team to enter into a prototyping ‘wire-framing phase’, during which mockups could be made.

“We could get there really quickly, but we could test with it. So we could put it out to a community of one hundred people who use these checklists all the time, and get some feedback,” he says.

Hughes notes the speed at which employees and the IT team could report back on changes was integral to the program’s success, as it allowed the new systems to be implemented in a way that had previously been impossible. By delivering insight into a process that you couldn’t see before, you start to deliver genuine business benefits, he adds.

While Hughes and Kaufman had worked to select enthusiastic Power Apps evangelists to kick the project off, neither expected the speed and enthusiasm with which this has spread throughout the company.

“I signed the purchase order (PO) for the licenses and agreed on some services and things like that. But I didn't do this all, the community just started to create itself, right?”

Inspiring employees to take the initiative

The firm now runs a yearly digital expo, in which citizen developers run stalls showcasing their apps and explaining them to others within the company to spread awareness. Kaufman tells ITPro that after the most recent expo, five teams reached out to follow up on a shift handover app they had seen in employee-led demonstrations.

“I think having those applications, the big ones that people know, people then ask “how have they done this?” and it inspires people to come to the team,” Hughes says.

In hindsight, Hughes says, any other approach wouldn’t have led to the success in this area that Rolls-Royce has enjoyed. “That’s my advice to other CIOs: if I tried to organize that event, it had been overly formal,” he stresses.

The same applies to the approach employees have taken to helping each other with errors or developmental hurdles, in contrast to the typical IT ticketing system many firms use. In contrast, Rolls-Royce employees have taken to custom channels in Microsoft Viva and Teams. Kaufman compared these to StackOverflow, noting the shared language of Power BI has allowed for inter-departmental collaboration that couldn’t be anticipated.

This isn’t to say more formal events haven’t continued to add to this community. Microsoft, for example, regularly holds events at Rolls-Royce offices and streamed online to inspire citizen developers to change through discussions of emerging technologies.

The first steps in upskilling the workforce

Today, Rolls-Royce is engaged in formal upskilling projects through Microsoft’s Enterprise Skills Initiative. Workers go through a four-day course and can pursue an exam to obtain a certificate if they wish. 

But Kaufman also highlights the more informal, self-led learning platforms for budding citizen developers. His team has overseen the ‘app in a day’ program, in which employees can take 30mins of their day to build an app.

“We tried to think about the obstacles that would stop somebody actually doing this,” Hughes says, giving the example of employees hitting issues with poor UI quality and noting that to remedy this a built-in company style has been applied to the app builder Cobalt.

All design elements in Cobalt are pre-defined, which Hughes says keeps the app from gatekeeping the app builder from those who aren’t confident in design.

Going forward, Hughes suggests that if 15% of office-based staff could be using data science tools in the near future, it would continue to drive efficiency gains across the company. “I think that's where this goes,” he says,” adding: “We've got to democratize data science and big data in the same way that we’re obviously demonstrating now with apps.”

Computing degrees have seen a 23% growth in accepted applications from women since 2019, with the number of young women pursuing these degrees growing faster than any other UK university subject.

The 23% growth is a higher percentage rise than for any other UCAS subject group, according to analysis from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

The increase is particularly prominent among 18-year-old women taking the subject at university, which is up 47% between 2019 and 2020. The growth rate for 18-year-old men was 29% over the same period.

However, although BCS said the rise was “striking and important”, it cautioned that the number of women beginning computing degrees this year was still low when compared to the number of men - 6,450 women started courses versus 27,735 men.

Additionally, male students outnumbered female students in computer science by 4.3 to 1 this year, although the gap has narrowed slightly from 2021 when it was 4.7 to 1.

“The gender gap in computing is closing at degree level, but it’s still far too wide and we need to improve on women making up 22% of tech specialists,” said Julia Adamson, MD for education and public benefit at the BCS. “Diverse teams make every member of that team a better engineer, better able to design and deliver inclusive solutions which meet the needs of society.”

There was an 11% increase in the total number of students placed on undergraduate degrees in computing across the UK compared to last year, with a total 34,185 students accepted. The BCS found this was the second-largest percentage increase of any subject.

The institute added that the overwhelming majority of computing entrants to undergraduate courses came from state schools across the UK. Only 2-3% come from private schools, with an additional 8% coming from further education.

Earlier this year, the BCS found that computing A-level entries increased by 41% across England, Northern Ireland, and Wales since 2019. In England, there was a 43% increase, the highest of any subject. In Scotland, computing higher entries rose by 8% since 2019 and 13% at advanced higher.

Since 2019, there has been an increase of 20.1 percentage points in the number of female students awarded with an A grade or better at A level computing in England. Between 2019 to 2022, female entries for the subject have risen by 64% in England and 43% in Wales.

In August 2021, one in four female computing students achieved an A* in the year’s A-level results, increasing from 17.8% in 2020 to 25.7% in 2021. On the other hand, 18.9% of male students received an A*, up from 13.1% the previous year.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected AWS to support its digital skills programme for the next three years, after a report recently found that the ministry was severely lacking in digital skills.

AWS is now set to deliver digital skills development and training to thousands of MoD personnel across its military and civilian workforce through the ministry’s Digital Skills for Defence programme.

The MoD hopes the collaboration will equip its leaders and wider supply chain with data and digital skills to defend the country from emerging threats.

The partnership will see the cloud giant provide training resources to support the Digital Foundry, a hub in Defence Digital aiming to harness emerging technology to tackle defence challenges. AWS will also create a tailored programme for senior leaders responsible for implementing the MoD’s digital transformation.

The pair claimed that the agreement is the first of its kind globally, and is part of a wider UK government programme with the cloud giant that aims to boost digital skills.

“Today marks a key milestone in our delivery of our Digital Skills for Defence programme and the development of digital skills across UK Defence. Amazon’s agreement to build upon and scale up our work within the Digital Skills for Defence programme is a crucial priority that will help us realise digital transformation across Defence,” said Charles Forte, chief information officer at the MoD.

“It serves as an important symbol of how we must deepen our work with the tech sector to realise our objectives. We are grateful for this commitment and look forward to developing this partnership with AWS and other companies and organisations across the sector.”

The National Audit Office (NAO) discovered in October 2022 that the MoD doesn’t have enough employees with the right digital skills to support its digital strategy.

The ministry was finding it hard to recruit and retain talent, with technologists viewing the MoD as 'bureaucratic'. The NAO said that the ministry faced ongoing challenges with its major technology programmes and acquiring scarce digital skills, and needed a clear plan for prioritising resources to deliver digital transformation.

AWS and the MoD have signed a memorandum of understanding which they said will enable deeper collaboration and equip leaders with “game-changing technical skills” to preserve a business and military advantage.

The MoD has a Digital Defence Strategy which aims to meet three goals by 2025 so it can adapt the ministry to the digitisation of warfare. It’s aiming to create a digital backbone, where it has the right tech and employees, a digital foundry, a software and data analytics centre, and an agile community of digital specialists.

When looking out to start a career in the tech industry, many people go down the route of taking a computer science degree. This tends to put one in good stead for being hired, given the range of skills developed throughout the course as well as the prestige of having a good degree on your CV.

However, degrees are not the only option when it comes to learning the skills needed for a job in the field of tech. Coding bootcamps, in which participants enroll for a few concentrated months to learn essential skills in a particular area of computer science, can also be a great way to train for a role in the tech world.

One might assume that the competition isn’t particularly close, but in addition to taking a much shorter period to complete, the depth of information offered at bootcamps can give their participants a competitive edge against computer science graduates.

Studies also show that the hiring rate for those finishing computer science degrees versus those finishing bootcamps is a lot closer than one might expect.

A recent LinkedIn survey using data from Burning Glass Technologies found that the top four tech bootcamps in the US all had hiring rates in related fields of at least 80% within a year. This is higher than the computer science departments at famous universities such as Stanford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the California Institute of Technology.

What is a coding bootcamp?

A coding bootcamp is a short course, usually around four months in length, which gives you lessons on a specific coding language, skillset or other such practical information within the computing field. These can include web development, UX/UI design, and data science.

Which teaches more?

A bootcamp can also offer more specialised knowledge on an area within computer science, and in a fraction of the time. For example, if one is seeking to learn web development, with an aim to apply the skills practically (for example, within a small business) there may be no need to branch out into the plethora of areas that a computer science degree also covers.

Of course, there are numerous factors backing a full computer science degree, and it’s impossible to name all the opportunities one might be given while studying at university. There is definitely a lot to be said for the opportunities for personal growth and networking available here, not to mention the topic areas that a degree will offer students that they might not otherwise have considered.

Which is more convenient?

Boot camps are arguably able to tailor their content more easily and within shorter time frames than a computer science degree. There is no doubt that given the course structure of any university degree has to be determined before commencement in September, and is rarely changed until the academic year has ended sometime in June or July, boot camps that may only run for several weeks have far more frequent opportunities to assess and alter their content.

This gives coding bootcamps more opportunities to capitalise on new IT trends and technologies, taking advantage of their increased agility to provide training in more modern capabilities.

On the other hand, universities can be some of the most cutting-edge research institutes in the country, and often boast academics who - alongside their taught seminars - are among the leading experts in their field.

With this in mind, one can see how computer science degrees can offer students information they are unlikely to be able to access anywhere else. The same is also true of university library access, with many institutions having an unparalleled breadth of information available to students through their library portals.

Another advantage to coding bootcamps is that they demand less commitment from participants. Once one starts a degree it is very difficult to leave the program, and if one does then one has to wait at least until the new intake of students in September to restart the degree from scratch.

In contrast, a 2019 report found that coding bootcamps only last four months on average, making them far less of a commitment than university courses and also allowing participants who do wish to drop out to quickly rejoin the program after a few months away.

Which is cheaper?

For the most part, this is a simple question to answer, although there are a few qualifying factors that quite dramatically change things for students depending on where they live.

The average coding bootcamp cost in the US is $13,584, which is far less than the $46,497 per year that US computer science students can expect to pay. At more prestigious universities, costs can be even higher, with MIT charging $77,020 per academic year.

However, in the UK the calculations run a little differently. Coding bootcamps can cost between £5,000-9,000, less than the £9,250 per year for a full time degree course that current computer science undergraduates can expect to shell out.

However, with the UK's student loan programme, none of the tuition fees are necessarily presented as an up-front cost to university students. Instead, students take out loans from the Student Loans Company, and pay them back as a percentage of their earnings once their salary goes above a certain pre-tax threshold.

With this in mind, prospective UK students are faced with a choice between lower up-front costs and larger debt at university, leaving the choice up to personal preference and consideration of the aforementioned pros and cons.

Conclusion

There are a number of reasons why someone might take either a computer science degree or a coding bootcamp. For price and convenience, bootcamps generally have the edge. There is also a strong argument for bootcamps as a factor for driving employability, with hiring statistics painting a good picture of the quality of skills one might learn at a coding bootcamp.

On the other hand, the benefits of a university degree in computer science are hard to quantify but nonetheless broad, from the networking and research opportunities one is afforded, to the potential for personal growth and discovery of a particular field of interest. For US students, the main hitch is the cost, which is admittedly eye-watering at some of the higher-regarded institutions.

When people talk about writing code on a computer, the terms ‘coding’, ‘programming’ and ‘scripting’ are often used interchangeably. In fact, most people aren’t aware that there are subtle but important differences between the three activities. But just what are they?

What is coding?

Put simply, coding is the act of inputting commands into a computer in a language that it can understand. At the smallest level, computers process everything in binary — 1s and 0s — also called machine code.

Far back in computer science history, there was no other way in which users could write code, but quickly programming languages were written to give programmers a far more user-friendly coding experience.

Today, almost all code is written in one of many programming languages, which have their own libraries, documentation and syntax.

All of the most popular programming languages have their differences, with more or less overlap between them, and it takes time to learn how to use each one effectively.

When you strip each one down to its core, however, all each does is interface with a computer on its own terms, while simultaneously allowing a user to create commands in a way that they can understand and easily remember.

What is programming?

If coding is translating intention into language that computers can understand, programming can be understood as taking this language and making it into a comprehensive list of instructions.

Every decision you make on your computer, whether it’s right-clicking or pressing ‘search’ on Google, sets in motion a chain of code that varies in complexity depending on the demands of the user.

Usually, these chains have been written line-by-line in code inside a program called a compiler, which translates the program from the language in which it was written into machine code that the computer can run as a cohesive program.

Very recently, AI models have reached a point where they are beginning to be able to overtake humans in writing programs of their own, but this is still far from proven technology.

What is scripting?

Scripting is typically used to automate a process that would otherwise be undertaken by a human operator. Some programming languages are considered good scripting languages, with a prime example of this being Python. This is due to its ample documentation, speed, and intuitiveness.

Unlike programs, which are compiled into machine code by a compiler, scripts are usually run by something called an interpreter. This runs the program line-by-line from the source code, with no translation of the script into any other code.

The benefit of scripts is that they are much easier to understand for beginners, as they are generally laid out in a more easily digestible format. On the other hand, scripts can only run on a computer that has the right interpreter installed.

Over 90% of Australian and New Zealand businesses believe that skill shortages will impact operations or growth in the next year.

This is according to a new report from the recruitment firm Hays, which surveyed 4,425 organisations across Australia and New Zealand and spoke to 4,581 employees to take stock of salary expectations, career plans, and current priorities.

96% of Australian employers believe skill shortages will impact operations or growth while 90% of those in New Zealand believe the same. Additionally, 60% of Australian and 61% of New Zealand employers are set to increase their permanent headcount this year. Some employers also believe the great resignation will accelerate this year, with 39% in Australia and 47% in New Zealand stating this.

When it comes to salaries, 76% of Australian and 88% of New Zealand organisations have offered higher salaries than planned. This comes as 68% of Australian and 66% of New Zealand employees said they would benefit financially from changing jobs. The top factors driving turnover across these two countries are a lack of new challenges, an uncompetitive salary, and a lack of promotional opportunities.

“Australia and New Zealand are facing a singular skills shortage at a level unmatched in Hays’ 46 years in recruitment,” said Nick Deligiannis, managing director of Hays Australia and New Zealand.

55% of employers also believe that opening the international border will somewhat ease the shortages but won’t solve the problem, and 24% believe it won’t solve the problem at all.

The top five IT jobs employers need to fill in Australia are business analysts, cloud engineers, full-stack developers, cyber security analysts, and data analysts. In New Zealand, these are project and programme managers, business analyst practitioners, senior software engineers, automation and QA engineers, and DevOps and cloud specialists.

What are the average tech salaries in Australia and New Zealand?

Hays included in its report the typical salary for various tech positions across Australia and New Zealand, some of which are included in the table below.

JobLocationSalary Range (AUD)

Service desk - Level 1Sydney$55,000 to $80,000

Wellington$55,000 to $65,000

Cyber security analystSydney$110,000 to $165,000

Wellington$110,000 to $140,000

Chief information security officer (CISO)Sydney$225,000 to $360,000

Wellington$170,000 to $230,000

Data scientistSydney$130,000 to $260,000Data scientistWellington$110,000 to $150,000

The Australian government has promised to invest $5 million (£2.8 million) in a tech skills passport if reelected in the upcoming election.

The Coalition government hopes this will help Australians get a job in the technology sector, it said yesterday. To ensure that Australians can match their skills with industry needs, it will partner with the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) to accelerate the implementation of skills passports.

The new passport will expand access to recognition of prior learning and get people qualified with the skills the industry needs into a job faster.

“Where there are skills gaps to fill, we want Australians to have the first crack at getting that opportunity and our skills passport approach will enable rapid upskilling and reskilling,” said Stuart Robert, the minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business. “These investments will mean more skilled workers, lower unemployment, and a stronger future not just for apprentices and trainees, but for Australia.”

The tech skills passport will help workers match their existing skills and experience with the needs of the tech sector and navigate a pathway through the university and vocational education sector, added the ATN.

The ATN said that Australia will need around 300,000 new tech workers by 2025. It will also need 12,000 university and Vocational Education and Training (VET) graduates and 60,000 upskilled and reskilled workers.

ATN universities will partner with vocational education providers and the tech industry to co-design, deliver, and recognise skills, as well as provide career support to help people make the most of their skills.

“This initiative is an answer to ATN’s calls for the Government to partner with universities and industry to deliver solutions to fill urgent and persistent skills requirements, flexibly meet emerging needs, and create a vision to address Australia’s challenges and opportunities,” said Iain Martin, ATN chair. “A three-way partnership between universities, industry and the government is crucial to delivering better outcomes for industry, workers and the economy.”

The government’s commitment to a digital skills passport is a critical step towards a more modern skills system that ensures workers can take advantage of big economic changes, said Jennifer Westacott, chief executive of the Business Council of Australia.

“The Business Council has long called for a skills passport system because that makes it easier for Australians to build their own qualifications and get the jobs they want,” said Westacott. “For the digital sector, this will help employers match with the right workers with the right skills. We hope this is the starting point for a skills passport system for all Australians.”

A Labor party spokesperson said the government is “playing catch-up footy” on skills and tech jobs through this initiative, as reported by InnovationAus.

“For too long the government has neglected the skills sector and key opportunities in upskilling Australians in critical skills areas like cyber and tech,” said the spokesperson.

“An Albanese Labor government will set a goal of 1.2 million tech-related jobs by 2030, with our fee-free TAFE [vocational education and training provider] and 20,000 university places at the heart of this plan. We know how important these critical skills are, and the opportunities of well-paid, secure jobs which come from them.”

The opposition party has set a goal of having 1.2 million tech jobs in the tech industry within the next eight years if elected in May, as reported by 7News. Currently, the industry is responsible for over 850,000 jobs. Experienced workers and businesses have left the country as the government has failed to back tech jobs in existing and emerging industries, said Anthony Albanese, leader of the Labor party.

Finanzdienstleister, Banken und Versicherer haben mit Herausforderungen bei der Einstellung von Fachkräften und zunehmenden Kompetenzlücken zu kämpfen, während agile, disruptive Digital-Native-Unternehmen weiterhin Spitzentalente für sich gewinnen können.

Doch was können Sie als technische Führungskraft in der Finanzbranche tun? Die einzig wahre Antwort: Optimieren Sie die Kompetenzen Ihrer Mitarbeiter. Denn sie sind und bleiben Ihre wertvollste Ressource!

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In the world of enterprise IT, certifications are a lucrative business. Every year, millions of technical professionals around the world study to earn qualifications attesting to their proficiency in cyber security, cloud architectures, storage administration, and much more. With the training costs and associated fees (ranging from $100 to more than $1,500), these certifications can represent a significant investment for those seeking to attain them.

For all the positive noise around the subject, certifications have also become the target of some debate in recent years. While they’re still a popular way for IT practitioners to demonstrate their skills, some argue that the industry has become over-reliant on qualifications to the detriment of real-world experience and practical knowledge.

With the IT landscape expanding at an ever-increasing rate, there are more technology certifications than ever for professionals to obtain. In this month’s IT Pro Panel feature, we find out what IT leaders really think about certifications: what the role of certifications are in a modern business environment, which ones (if any) are most valuable, and how both IT workers and the organisations that employ them should approach the issue.

Certified fresh

The principal benefit of gaining a certification is obvious as it demonstrates a measurable level of competency in a given area. There are a huge variety of certifications on offer, covering everything from specific vendor’s product stacks to wider disciplines like infrastructure management. Many certifications are also split into different tiers, which indicate progressive levels of expertise in the subject.

This can be particularly helpful when recruiting, says Kreston Reeves’ IT and operations director Chris Madden. While he notes that certifications are rarely necessary outside a handful of specialised roles, they can also act as a good indicator to quickly determine a candidate’s technical proficiency.

“Yes, I agree,” says Craig York, CTO of Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, pointing out this can apply to seasoned IT decision makers as well as more junior staff. “For senior digital leadership, certification offers organisations the opportunity to validate they're betting on someone with the right skills and in the case of leadership certs, can effectively lead those areas of the business.”

“I value specific certification in specific technology rather than general technology-based qualifications,” adds Gerard McGovern, CIO of Guide Dogs. “That’s not to say people don’t have the technical skills without the certifications, but it’s a very useful shortcut when recruiting.”

McGovern also highlights that the importance of certifications when it comes to the recruitment process often depends on the role in question. They tend to be more of a factor in operations positions, he says, as “you quickly know if a developer is any good or not”.

“For more infrastructure-based roles, it’s quite important. For developer roles, it’s less so. I’m probably biased but as an ex-Java programmer, no one asked for my Java 101 certificate!”

Recruiters aren’t the only people who are given additional confidence by certifications, though, and Madden points out that being able to point to highly accredited team members can give clients greater peace of mind when discussing technical projects. If a potential client has certain technical requirements, he says, being able to use certifications to prove that you can meet them can be the deciding factor in winning the deal.

Cloud coverage

In keeping with the overall popularity of Microsoft’s cloud portfolio, our panellists highlighted Microsoft 365 and Azure as examples of certifications that they commonly look for, and cloud-focused qualifications are in high demand. However, this can present some potential challenges, and York notes that some skills risk falling through the gaps.

“For staff on the ground in IT, there’s much more of a move away from certifications and skills around physical equipment, and towards Azure, Microsoft 365, et cetera. We won't have a computer room in a few years. and skills are aligning to this already, with some struggling to deal with failures of on-site equipment.”

“I agree with Craig,” says Madden. “There has been a major shift from on-premise system skills like hardware management and VMware administration being required to cloud and app dev skills, and this has translated to a shift in the certs people are looking for and looking to acquire. However, the 'old' skills are still required, as somewhere all these cloud services are hosted on hardware.”

It’s also important to consider where certifications have come from, he adds. Smaller training providers may not validate their courses as thoroughly as more established organisations, which is why he leans towards accreditations from larger vendors or independent trade bodies.

Non-technical certifications shouldn’t be overlooked either, and our panellists noted that qualifications in areas like project management, risk management, and strategic planning can be extremely useful. In particular, York calls out the ITIL and PRINCE2 certifications as being “always useful for training staff, or seeing on applications”.

McGovern holds both these certifications, and in fact, the range of qualifications amongst our panellists demonstrates that there is no set path that must be followed in this regard. Madden, for example, possesses no technical certifications (beyond a degree in biology) and has instead relied on earned experience, while York is a qualified FED-IP Advanced Practitioner and a CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO.

“I really enjoyed picking up Microsoft certifications back when I was more technical, but it's important to consider where you are now and where you're planning to get to,” he says. “But I wish I'd have spent more time and effort on my programming skills, back in the day!”

Members only

In addition to demonstrating mastery of existing skills, the process of studying for certifications can also be a good method for upskilling employees in new technologies that the business wishes to leverage.

“As the world changes, we need the skill set to keep on top of the business’ IT requirements,” Madden explains. “We are looking at BCS membership and formal Microsoft certification in relevant areas, as well as online self-learning products, such as CBT Nuggets for bite-sized learning.”

Similarly, York has arranged for his IT staff to obtain membership in BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which provides professional development assistance as well as certification opportunities. This is a common tactic, as the costs for certification can be steep. As such, many IT professionals rely on their employer to shoulder the costs, and Madden notes that Kreston Reeves is starting to proactively encourage employees to earn relevant certifications.

“If there’s alignment with their role and what the business needs from them, I would say there should be sponsorship by the organisation for the individual to gain the qualification,” he explains. “That may be as simple as paying the course fees through to study leave and resits.”

“For us, personal and professional development is very important, supporting staff on their journey,” York adds. “A diverse, inclusive team needs to account for individual requirements and preferences as well, so an agreed personal development plan that works for both parties is the goal. If staff are keen on training and certification, then I'll support them through this to ensure they have a result, and our organisation has a better trained and recognised team.”

Alongside other business benefits, our panellists also agreed that supporting staff in gaining new certifications can be an excellent tool for staff retention. They note that as part of a robust personal development plan, it’s a good way of showing confidence in employees.

“From an individual’s perspective, it provides external validation of their skills set and may well help when looking for a new role,” Madden says, “and for some, being recognised as having reached a certain level is important.”

“I’d agree with Chris,” adds York; “working in IT means staff can easily move across industries and retention is not easy. Opportunities such as training, membership, and certification are an important tool.”

Onwards and upwards

While there are some that will argue certifications exist primarily to line the pockets of those offering the accreditations, it appears that - for our panellists, at least - they serve a number of practical purposes, both for recruiting and developing employees. For this reason, supporting staff in working towards certification can reap significant benefits for those organisations who are willing to invest.

However, while qualifications can offer a range of benefits, our panellists were also united in the view that certifications are by no means a necessity. They’re a good way to reinforce real-world experience and skills, rather than a replacement for them, and should be approached at one’s own pace.

“Personal development is a journey, so no need to rush through everything early,” says York. “Experience is so important as well, and may bias the next steps. I'd plan for training and certification around where you are now and the next step you want to take. Also, take time to visit colleagues, and network to see what you don't know. Sometimes you're not aware of the certifications that are available.”

To apply to join the IT Pro Panel, please click here to enter your details. Please note that we are not accepting applications from technology vendors at this time.

Extracting actionable intelligence from the ever-increasing volumes of data enterprises generate is fundamental to maintaining a competitive edge. Structured Query Language (SQL) serves as a critical tool for this data interaction, enabling professionals to manage, retrieve, and analyze information efficiently. As organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, the ability to effectively harness database technologies is paramount. For individuals and teams looking to develop or sharpen these vital capabilities, a diverse range of SQL courses provides structured learning paths, offering a clear route to mastering this essential programming language.

Up-skilling through dedicated training remains a highly effective strategy for building crucial technical competencies within IT teams, and SQL proficiency is consistently among the most sought-after skills. Investing in SQL education can lead to significant improvements in operational efficiency, allowing businesses to unlock deeper insights from their data repositories. For IT professionals, acquiring or enhancing SQL skills not only broadens their technical toolkit but also opens doors to new career opportunities and increased marketability in a competitive landscape.

In this article, we look at some of the most effective SQL courses available, designed to empower you with this essential programming language and enhance your data-handling proficiency. The enduring relevance of SQL, even with the advent of newer data technologies, means that expertise in this area is a valuable asset. Whether you're starting your journey with databases or aiming to refine advanced querying techniques, the right course can provide the knowledge and practical experience needed to succeed.

What is SQL?

SQL, often pronounced 'sequel', has been a cornerstone of data management since its emergence in the late 1970s. It is a standardized programming language specifically designed for managing and manipulating relational databases—systems that store information in tables with predefined relationships between them. 

The primary function of SQL is to allow users to query these databases, meaning they can request specific data, update existing records, insert new information, and manage the database structure itself.

The skills required to write effective SQL queries have remained in high demand since the language's inception. Even with the rise of NoSQL databases and big data technologies, SQL continues to be a dominant force in data interaction. Most businesses rely on SQL-backed systems for critical operations, leading to a persistent and strong demand for personnel with robust SQL programming skills.

Whether you aim to broaden your existing technical skill set or are embarking on a new career in data analysis, database administration, or software development, achieving proficiency in SQL can significantly expand your professional opportunities.

How We Chose The Best SQL Courses - new sectionSelecting the most effective SQL courses requires careful consideration of various factors critical to a positive and impactful learning experience. For this IT Pro guide, we evaluated a wide array of SQL training options based on several key criteria. These include the comprehensiveness and depth of the curriculum, the expertise of the instructors and the reputation of the providing institutions or platforms, and a strong emphasis on practical, hands-on learning through real-world examples and exercises.We prioritized courses with recently updated content that reflects current SQL standards, database technologies, and industry best practices. Significant weight was also given to consistently high student ratings and positive reviews, indicating a proven track record of delivering value. Furthermore, this selection aims to cater to diverse needs within the IT professional community, offering pathways for beginners, specialized options for roles in data science or marketing, and advanced courses for experienced users looking to optimize performance or master specific database ecosystems like Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud. Our goal is to highlight courses that not only teach SQL but also empower learners to apply these skills effectively in their professional roles.

The best SQL courses for 2026

The Ultimate MySQL Bootcamp: Go from SQL Beginner to Expert

Best overall SQL course

Provider: Colt Steele (via Udemy)

Price: TBC - available via a Udemy plan (pricing starts at £15 per month)

Course link: The Ultimate MySQL Bootcamp: Go from SQL Beginner to Expert

Course duration: 21 hours

This highly-rated Udemy course, led by reputable instructor Colt Steele was last updated in April 2025. It's designed to transition students from SQL novices to proficient users capable of tackling complex database tasks. The curriculum is comprehensive, covering fundamental SQL syntax, database creation and management, advanced querying techniques including joins and Window Functions with MySQL 8, and practical data modeling for real-world scenarios.

Emphasizing a hands-on approach, the bootcamp is packed with exercises, challenges, and projects to solidify learning. Upon successful completion, students are expected to confidently interact with any SQL database, particularly MySQL, generate insightful reports, and leverage SQL for data-driven decision-making or application integration.

Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python

Best SQL course with academic credit

Provider: IBM (via Coursera)

Price: Typically included with a Coursera Plus subscription (e.g., around $59/month or an annual option) or available through Coursera's single course purchase/specialization pricing, which can vary.

Course link: Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python

Course length: 33-35 hours

This course, offered by IBM through Coursera, is designed for individuals looking to build a foundational understanding of SQL and its application in data science, particularly when working with Python. It offers a structured learning path for beginners with no prior database programming experience. 

Across its modules, learners will explore relational database concepts, learn to create and access databases, execute SQL queries for data retrieval and manipulation, and understand how to use Python to interact with databases. A key feature is its integration within broader IBM professional certificates, and successful completion can contribute to those credentials. The curriculum covers essential SQL commands, data types, and delves into more advanced topics relevant to data engineering.

SQL: Master SQL Database Queries in Just 90 Mins!

Best SQL course for intensive learning

Provider: Udemy

Price: $44 (£34.99)

Course link: SQL - Master SQL Database Queries in Just 90 Minutes!

Course length: 1 hour 30 minutes

This Udemy course is designed for individuals seeking a rapid introduction to SQL database queries, promising to cover the essentials in approximately 90 minutes. Given the widespread use of SQL databases across businesses, a fundamental understanding of basic querying is a valuable skill for many professionals. It offers a focused curriculum designed for rapid skill acquisition. 

This offering serves as a crash course, guiding students from foundational concepts to writing their initial queries. It's positioned as an ideal starting point for those who have regular interaction with SQL databases and need a quick primer to become functional.

SQL & Database Design A-Z: Learn MS SQL Server + PostgreSQL

Best SQL course for data science

Provider: Kirill Eremenko, et al (via Udemy)

Price: £59.99 ($75)

Course link: SQL & Database Design A-Z: Learn MS SQL Server + PostgreSQL

Course length: 12 hours 30 minutes

This Udemy course, developed by Kirill Eremenko and the Ligency Team, is presented as a comprehensive guide for individuals aiming for careers in data science, data analytics, or database administration. Students will learn to craft database queries for both PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL Server. The curriculum also delves into the distinctions and applications of OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) and OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) databases and includes numerous practical exercises to solidify understanding of both MS SQL Server and PostgreSQL.

The course focuses heavily on database design principles, an essential skill for anyone looking to build robust and efficient database solutions. It aims to provide a strong foundation in SQL, database architecture, and practical application across two major database systems.

Advanced SQL for Query Tuning and Performance Optimization

Best SQL course for advanced users

Provider: LinkedIn Learning

Price: : Included with a LinkedIn Learning subscription (typically around $29.99/month if billed annually, or $39.99/month if billed monthly. Individual course purchase options may also exist, often around $35-45).

Course link: Advanced SQL for Query Tuning and Performance Optimization

Course length: 1 hour 44 minutes

Learning to create SQL queries in isolation is insufficient for real-world application; understanding query execution and its impact on database performance is crucial. This LinkedIn Learning course, with expert instruction from Dan Sullivan, delves into the practicalities of SQL query execution. 

It focuses on how queries affect database resources and processing power. The content guides learners through modeling strategies to ensure each query runs efficiently and avoids negative impacts on overall database performance, covering essential techniques for query tuning and optimization.

Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization

Best SQL course for Excel users

Provider: Duke University (via Coursera)

Price: Typically included with a Coursera Plus subscription (e.g., around $59/month or an annual option). Specific pricing for the specialization, if purchased standalone, can vary but is often in the range of $49−79 per month after a trial period.

Course link: Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization

Course length: Approximately 7 months, assuming a pace of around 3 hours per week

This Coursera specialization, offered by Duke University, is designed to empower learners to bridge the gap between spreadsheet analysis and more powerful database querying techniques. It guides students through a structured path, starting with data analysis in Excel and progressively introducing MySQL for more complex data manipulation and business intelligence tasks. 

The curriculum focuses on practical analytic techniques, enabling participants to manage large datasets, extract meaningful insights, and make data-driven business decisions. This comprehensive program is suitable for those looking to enhance their analytical capabilities by moving beyond the limitations of Excel for larger-scale data work.

Learn SQL

Best SQL course for comprehensive learning

Provider: Udacity

Price:  £377.50 for a one-time payment. A monthly subscription is £94 per month.

Course link: Learn SQL

Course length: 2 months (estimated)

Udacity's "Learn SQL" course is designed to equip students with the ability to write SQL queries for analyzing substantial datasets. The curriculum typically starts with fundamental SQL commands, functions, and data cleaning methodologies. Learners then progress to understand how these querying skills are applied to both relational databases (like PostgreSQL) and an introduction to non-relational database concepts. 

A key feature of Udacity's approach is the inclusion of real-world projects designed to build practical skills. Students often benefit from mentor support and career services, depending on the specific program enrollment. This course aims to provide a comprehensive learning experience for those starting or advancing their SQL capabilities.

MS SQL Server: Learn MS SQL Server from Scratch

Best SQL course for MS SQL users

Provider: Udemy

Price:  £59.99

Course link: MS SQL Server: Learn MS SQL Server from Scratch

Course length: 5 hours 30 minutes

This Udemy course, offered by Oak Academy, focuses on teaching the fundamental aspects of creating and managing databases using Microsoft SQL Server. Students will be introduced to writing MS SQL queries and will also learn to use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), a graphical interface for managing and extracting information from SQL Server databases. 

The course focuses on practical application, guiding learners from initial database creation to effective data management within an MS SQL Server environment, making it ideal for those new to this specific RDBMS.

Learn Intermediate SQL for Marketers and Product Managers

Best SQL course for marketing

Provider: Codecademy

Price: £120 ($149.99)

Course link: Learn Intermediate SQL for Marketers and Product Managers

Course length: 5 hours (approximately)

This Codecademy Pro course is specifically tailored for marketing and product professionals who need to leverage SQL for data-driven insights. Recognizing that sales funnels, churn metrics, and customer data are often stored in databases, this course empowers those without prior programming knowledge to query this information effectively. 

The curriculum focuses on practical, intermediate SQL skills directly applicable to marketing analytics and product management, such as analyzing user behavior, segmenting customers, and measuring campaign performance. Its hands-on, interactive learning environment is designed to make SQL accessible and immediately useful for optimizing strategies and understanding business performance.

Deploying Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure SQL Database

Best SQL course for MS Azure users

Provider: Pluralsight

Price: £24 ($30) / month (after a 10-day trial)

Course link: Deploying Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure SQL Database

Course length: 1 hour 57 minutes

A core focus of this Pluralsight course, instructed by Robert Lindley, is to place SQL querying within the context of Azure SQL Databases, and it also covers Azure Synapse Analytics. The course addresses deploying these Azure resources, particularly as part of a CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) process using Azure DevOps. 

This relatively short and highly focused course aims to equip students with the skills to effectively deploy Azure SQL Databases and Azure Synapse Analytics (formerly Azure SQL Data Warehouse) within an Agile development framework.

SQL for Data Analysis: Beginner MySQL Business Intelligence

Best SQL courses for business leaders

Provider: Maven Analytics (via Udemy)

Price: £59.99 

Course link: SQL for Data Analysis: Beginner MySQL Business Intelligence

Course length: 4 hours 30 minutes

For businesses that need to understand how their data can influence strategic planning, this course from Maven Analytics offers an excellent foundation to build knowledge and skills. The course uses MySQL and MySQL Workbench to guide students in developing SQL queries, including the creation of MySQL JOIN statements for working with multiple tables. 

The real-world business cases and practical exercises characteristic of Maven Analytics' courses make this learning highly valuable for all business leaders and aspiring analysts looking to leverage data for decision-making.

The Complete SQL Bootcamp: Go from Zero to Hero

Best for comprehensive PostgreSQL learning from a top instructor

Provider: Jose Portilla (via Udemy)

Price: £89.99 (UK Price). Typically around $129.99 (Note: Udemy prices fluctuate frequently with sales; this is a common non-sale price, but significant discounts are very frequent.

Course link: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-sql-bootcamp/

Course length: Approximately 9 hours of on-demand video (current listing is 9h 6m).

This perennially popular Udemy course, instructed by leading data science and programming instructor Jose Portilla, is designed to take absolute beginners to a confident level of SQL proficiency using PostgreSQL. Its comprehensive curriculum covers everything from basic SQL syntax, data manipulation (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE), and database creation to more advanced topics, such as GROUP BY statements, conditional expressions, JOINs, subqueries, and data type management.

A key strength of this bootcamp is its clear explanations and numerous practical exercises and challenges that allow students to apply what they've learned immediately with a widely used open-source database. The course structure is logical and progressive, making complex concepts accessible. Given its high ratings, extensive student base, and the instructor's reputation, it's a trusted choice for individuals looking to build a solid and practical foundation in SQL with PostgreSQL, a skill highly valued in various tech roles.

If you ask someone to picture an IT professional, many will immediately land on the stereotypical image of a bespectacled nerd in a dingy basement, who’s more comfortable around code and computers than other people. As outdated as that notion is, the core of this idea – that IT as a discipline is driven more by technical skills than by interpersonal ones – is still surprisingly common.

In contrast to this preconception, however, research has indicated that so-called ‘soft skills’, like listening and storytelling, are increasingly vital for IT leaders. In a business environment where technology is a central element of long-term success, it’s simply no longer enough for IT chiefs to be technical wizards with poor communication skills.

This is a development that has not gone unacknowledged, and CIOs, CTOs and CISOs are making a concerted effort to equip themselves with capabilities beyond their technical certifications. In this month’s IT Pro Panel discussion, we asked our panellists what non-technical skills are most important to them, how they develop these skills, and how to instill them in their teams.

Communications breakdown

As defined by our panellists, ‘soft skills’ are based on communication and emotional intelligence, and are informed more by personality traits than learned behaviours. Many of them flagged empathy as their strongest proficiency in this area.

“For me, this means placing yourself in someone else's shoes when interacting with them,” says Studio Graphene founder Ritam Gandhi. “Every individual has good days and bad days, you need to give folks you work with the opportunity to have bad days and pick themselves up. I am generally very close to my team and I can sense when they are uncomfortable or something is wrong. If I think it's something to do with work, I'll ask them directly, but if it's personal, I'll give them space without probing as it’s up to them if they want to talk about it.”

Another key ability identified by Newcastle Building Society CIO Manila McLean is the ability to be “bilingual” within the organisation: “Being able to put stakeholders at ease with language they understand and is meaningful for them”, while still being able to talk to technical teams at their own level.

The idea of technical leaders being the bridge between IT and the rest of the business is a popular one among our panellists, and it’s here, they say, that communication skills become invaluable.

“To be an effective IT leader, you have to possess the ability to articulate both the design and justification of any proposition, without over-explanation or excessive detail,” explains TempCover CTO, Marc Pell. “It’s important to remember to present the business case, as opposed to simply assuming that everyone sees the value in reducing technical debt or building for the future. Likewise, it’s critical to hold yourself accountable for making the right decision at the right time, balancing the business need with the technical need.”

RoosterMoney CTO, Jonathan Smart, has been tackling this challenge by bringing product, engineering and marketing teams together, and says making sure information flows in both directions has been crucial for facilitating this.

Peter Donlon, CTO of Moonpig, takes this idea a step further, arguing that for IT leaders, technical skills are secondary in terms of importance.

“As an IT leader, you hire people who are great technically and enable them to solve business problems,” he says. “To do that effectively, you need to have those strong soft skills. That's not to say there's no place for technical skills; I think understanding your craft is important, I just personally think it's second place to soft skills.”

For Kantar CISO Paul Watts, cyber security is one of the areas that is suffering most acutely from a soft skills deficit. Security is being increasingly called on to actively support the business as an important ally, he says, but years of being confined to a siloed technical environment has left them lacking the ability to effectively engage with the rest of the organisation.

“Now CISOs are being thrust into the business limelight, they are looking tired and disengaged in a world where tech and business need to be hand-in-hand,” he says. “I started my career as a consultant and it has really helped me build core skills that help me engage better with tech and non-tech stakeholders, but others have started in a tech role and never left a tech role which leaves them with some skills gaps.”

“The next generation of CISOs have to recognise their role has changed and adapt accordingly. The current generation of CISOs needs to be honest with their soft skills deficits and upskill, or be left behind … the business wants technology to integrate with them now and not just be the order-taking, tin-shuffling, basement-residing 'IT Crowd' of the past.”

“I think that's a really interesting observation, Paul,” Donlon says. “I can believe that and see why that's even more challenging within security. I do think in general that's a pattern I've seen, as tech is coming out of its box and engaging with the business a lot more directly. In my opinion, the days of the software engineer who can lock themselves in a room and just write code are past us. The ability to work and communicate with others is key.”

Keep it simple, stupid

Looking at IT staff in particular, Smart suggests one of the most important non-technical skills IT teams need to possess is the ability to think like their customers (both internal and external), balancing their own views and priorities with what the business needs.

“It’s not about how amazing the technical solution is from a code perspective, but the bigger picture,” he says. “This can be difficult to achieve for one person, which is why it’s good to have smaller squads that are made up of cross-disciplined team members, which further emphasises the need for good listening and communication skills.”

This DevOps-style team structure can help give staff more insight into how their decisions affect other business units, he adds, and can give them a deeper level of responsibility and understanding.

“I absolutely think it helps,” agrees McLean. “I encourage our teams to think of their product as their own business – the performance and the continuous improvement are just as important as the initial creation. I also encourage engineers to participate in customer research such as usability testing, where they see first hand how real end users will interact with their products. It really helps them empathise.”

“I’d agree with that,” says Watts. “In fact, the devs who are working in squads in a DevOps style definitely get better business engagement and ultimately, better outcomes than the ones who don't.”

“We took this a step further recently and performed a role reversal for all members outside of our customer ops team,” Smart adds, “where the customer ops team pretended to be the customers (using a mix of real and fake scenarios) and then had teams respond to the scenarios with points awarded for responsibility quality, speed of response, tone of voice et cetera. Everyone got some real value from this exercise and learnt a lot. It definitely improved empathy for another teams core role.”

Hethinks this kind of exercise could be effectively transplanted to core IT teams to achieve similar results, and Watts notes it could have a major impact on digital workplace programmes such as the rollout of tools like Microsoft 365, which need to be business-led and technologically-enabled in order to be successful.

Our panellists also highlighted other tactics for improving soft skills within their teams, including mentorship schemes, as well as engaging with broader learning and development programmes within the organisation. As Donlon points out, soft skills don’t just apply to IT, and there are many resources available to help progress them.

While there are ways to boost soft skills within a team, many of our panellists opt to seek out these skills at the recruitment stage. Hiring candidates who already have strong empathy and communication skills is easier than training for these abilities after the fact, they say.

“We're always on the lookout for strong technical talent that holds an equally strong set of soft skills,” explains Pell. “This is often difficult to find though. We've learnt that soft skills are arguably harder to teach, given they're linked to a person's personality in many cases. Teaching technical skills, on the other hand, is relatively simple if you find the right person.”

“Completely agreed”, adds Donlon. “We hire people with strong interpersonal skills and lots of empathy; basically good team workers. It may sound obvious but given how we set ourselves up and how collaborative our way of working is, it's crucial we get people in who can do this. That means not everyone has to be the best at presenting and so on, but they do need to be able to work well with others.”

“I always say this to hiring managers: ‘we can teach people technical skills, but we can't teach them not to be an arsehole!’”

Part of the problem, according to Watts, is an over-reliance on technical expertise when building out job requirements for new hires. He believes that recruiters – including internal HR staff as well as external agencies – need to focus on soft skills rather than ticking certification boxes.

“Have you read a tech role spec recently? It’s all about the creds, less about the business outcomes. It’s shocking, and demonstrates that they too are disconnected from the realities of running technology in modern business.”

One potential solution, he says, is to look for candidates from non-technical backgrounds where these kinds of skills are more commonplace, including fields like the humanities.

“CISOs should now be looking for non-technical resources to complement their technical teams and bridge the divide. Never mind the CISSP qualified propeller-head, go looking for the marketeers, the creatives, the English students, the business development managers, and so on.”

The more you know

The same is also true for leaders, as well as general IT staff. Deep platform knowledge and technical competency does not always make someone the best fit to lead an IT team. For many of the reasons outlined above, Pell argues, it can often be better to look for more general leadership qualities.

“I'm sure we've all witnessed the situation where the person with the best technical skill gets promoted to manage the team,” he explains. “The two skillsets differ wildly though; identifying potentially brilliant IT leaders is all about spotting the presence of soft skills and business awareness, on top of the obvious requirement of technical ability.”

With this in mind, our panellists call on a range of techniques for improving their own soft skills. As with our discussion in January around New Year’s resolutions, this remains more of a focus for our panellists’ learning and development than technical abilities.

Watts, for example, has started listening to audiobooks during lockdown as a way to continue learning while minimising screen time. His top recommendations include Simon Sinek’s books Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, as well as anything by business management writer Tom Peters.

“I also like reading biographies of people like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, et cetera, to get ideas,” he says, “and also learn from their mistakes!”

“I'm a big podcast listener,” Pell adds. “Common listens for me (other than the obviously brilliant IT Pro Podcast) are Secret Leaders, Scott Hanselman's podcast and a couple in my field too, such as InsTech London and Insurtech Insiders.”

In the spirit of learning from others, though, the most popular method for boosting interpersonal skills was talking to peers within the industry. Our panellists highlighted networking and mentoring as essential methods that they relied on for this aspect of their personal growth.

“I've been going out of my way to network virtually in the absence of in-person meetups,” says Pell. “Learning from others is always useful.”

“I agree,” adds Gandhi. “Having a mentor to bounce ideas off and discuss personal challenges at work is really helpful. It provides a completely different external perspective.”

“It’s tough to find the time, but important,” Watts concurs. “Sometimes just having someone to bounce ideas and situations off can be just as valuable, so I do agree with Marc. Getting a good coach or mentor, or just having a safe network of like-minded people, can go a long way.”

These tactics can be employed to further many specific proficiencies under the overall umbrella of ‘soft skills’, but there are a few particular areas that our panellists are seeking to concentrate their attention on.

“I think my own skill that I'd like to improve is the ability to create clear goals for individuals that I lead, which are in turn clearly aligned to broader business goals,” Gandhi muses. “In essence, the ability to provide more structure to those reporting into me in terms of what is expected of them and why. At the moment, I have a great ‘understanding’ with my team, which works really well – but I do feel that as one scales, one needs to also have the ability to set objective and measurable goals.”

Watts, meanwhile, is seeking to spend more time understanding his business and thinking more deeply about how to align his security programme with the business strategy, utilising some of the principles Sinek outlines in Start With Why.

“I find myself in a similar position to those above,” Smart offers. “I do find that I am constantly learning and evolving, there is always a new challenge or something I can learn from.”

For Pell, the thing he’s most concerned with is long-term planning and vision, making sure that he’s clearly defining the wider roadmap for his teams.

“We’re doing so many exciting things right now that it’s sometimes difficult to find the time. I know where I want us to get to in terms of long term direction, but it needs documenting to better aid the team as they make day-to-day decisions that walk us in that direction.”

“If any of my team are reading, watch this space!”

Welcome to IT Pro's News in Review, a weekly bitesize bulletin of the top tech stories of the week, for the week ending 11 June.

This episode:

• A software bug at Fastly causes chaos on the internet
• Colonial Pipeline recovers $2.3 million of the ransom it paid to DarkSide
• UK government slammed for failing to invest in digital skills

You can find more videos like this in our video library and even more on our YouTube channel. Let us know what you think of this week's video – you can find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

For many years, the tech industry has been complaining about a shortage of technical skills in areas from cloud platforms to container architectures. But while the tech skills gap remains a persistent concern, there is another skills shortage that's being overlooked by businesses.

The UK is falling behind in its level of 'human-centric' business skills, according to a new report, including HR and communications. As organisations seek to outfit themselves for a largely uncharted world of hybrid working, we're joined by Anthony Tattersall, head of EMEA at online training provider Coursera, to examine whether we're in danger of putting too much focus on STEM skills, and how companies can avoid over-correcting.

Footnotes

• Female enrolment in STEM courses increased to 46% in 2020
• Remote workers spend more hours on the job, finds ONS
• IT Pro Panel: The loneliness of the long-distance worker
• Learn to code online with these six websites
• IT Pro Panel: Why CIOs have embraced hybrid working
• The softer skills CIOs will need to adopt for the future
• What are your tech skills worth?
• CIO hiring process to focus on emotional intelligence in 2021
• Why IT projects fail and how to make yours a success
• Game on: How playing video games could level up your career
• How to become a T-shaped employee
• The STEM skills gap — crisis averted?
• How do I best support my remote workers?
• Why COVID-19 could spur a learning revolution
• Onboarding during the pandemic and beyond
• Why the number of students taking GCSE IT has fallen and how it can be reversed
• How to become a data scientist
• Why you should prioritise employee experience
• 17.1 million Brits lack essential digital skills for work
• Government launches 400 free qualifications to help with economic recovery
• Upskilling a remote workforce
• The IT Pro Podcast: Why the tech skills gap doesn't exist
• The best time to prepare for remote working was six months ago

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Tech jobs aren't what they used to be.

Emerging tech jobs have a strong data management and analysis component, which was less common just a few years ago, according to a report from The World Economic Forum. Additionally, newer technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are gathering steam in all industries, with the demand for technologists skilled in this area growing steadily, too.

Speaking to IT Pro, Maynard Williams, managing director and UKI intelligent engineering services lead at Accenture, explains that tech jobs are now more than just technical knowledge. "According to our recent Tech Vision research, 77% of business leaders report that success is dependent on their technology stack. However, attracting and developing the right tech expertise is just one piece of the puzzle; understanding technology isn't just a job for the IT team, [it's] an enabler of wider business transformation. Therefore, all leaders also need to have a strong understanding of its capabilities and vision of how it will change their operations and services."

The bounce back in the economy, the lifting of lockdown, and a steady return to work have all contributed to a positive outlook for jobs and skills, with cloud, AI, and robotics vacancies, in particular, increasing notably. Indeed, Microsoft research is bullish, stating that by 2025, the number of tech jobs in US firms alone will increase five-fold, from 41 million to 190 million.

In the wake of COVID-19, the tech jobs landscape has seen clear job trends: With mass remote working came the need for flexible cybersecurity that was often lacking in many enterprises. With workforces set to become remote permanently, cybersecurity skills will be in great demand throughout 2021 and beyond.

Along with the increased need for security skills comes the ever-expanding use of cloud-based applications and services. Recruitment firm Hays expects cloud engineer and cloud architect jobs to become the top areas businesses will look to recruit to across 2021.

Aude Barral, the co-founder of the developer recruitment platform CodinGame, tells IT Pro the pandemic has shifted the priorities of businesses looking for tech talent: "Cloud applications and services allowing organisations to support remote workforces has seen high demand for DevOps engineers with cloud migration and infrastructure expertise. This highly specialised position responds to the growing business demand for scalability and security related to software as a service (SaaS), ever faster websites, containerisation, cybersecurity, and accelerated cloudification experienced during the crisis."

Businesses are re-shaping their processes and digital transformation strategies that consider their market sectors and industries post-COVID-19. "As the pandemic continues to disrupt operations and objectives, the skills required to maintain business continuity are likely to remain in flux," says Andrew Duncan, partner and UK CEO at Infosys Consulting.

These new business development roadmaps require a multidimensional workforce. Pre-pandemic, agility was often the stated goal of many enterprises. To achieve this, business leaders embarked on education and training programs to expand their employees' skills. Today, appreciating how relationships with their customers and commercial partners have changed influences the vacancies they have and what groups of skills they are looking for in new recruits.

Tech jobs landscape

There has also been a shift in how businesses approach the skills they need. The rise of low-code or even no-code application development has enabled some businesses to remove their need for highly trained technical staff.

Application development is increasingly becoming part of individuals' and team skills. Companies can see those closest to day-to-day business problems become empowered to create technology-driven solutions themselves.

Matt Sigelman, CEO of Burning Glass Technologies, sees a new future where tech skills are not just the province of IT. "Just a few years ago, no one would have thought advertising and marketing managers would need to configure software, or that software developers would need the skills to build rapport with customers. But advancing technology is creating both new opportunities for workers and new challenges for employers trying to fill roles."

This view is shared by Eleanor Weaver, CEO of Luminance, who explains how her company approaches tech recruitment: "Whilst a lot of our employees in the Cambridge office have experience in software engineering and come from a STEM background, this is not absolutely necessary. We hire young, clever people who are able to understand and pick up new tech concepts easily. Being a software expert can be helpful and is a bonus, but is not everything, and I think this broad approach has helped us to hire some great talent that we can go on to nurture."

Jobs on the rise

Tech jobs are also evolving. The Demand for Skilled Talent report from specialist recruiter Robert Half shows a shift towards a hybrid skills approach, which they define as more soft skills. For example, vacancies for software developers who can 'establish customer rapport' have increased by 51%, compared to a 208% rise in calls for advertising and public relations managers with software configuration skills.

Matt Weston, managing director of Robert Half UK, concludes tech skills will evolve to meet the new business landscape the pandemic has created. "From a skills evolution and demand perspective, COVID-19 can be seen as the ultimate disrupter and accelerator," he says. "With one recent report estimating that 21 million UK workers will need basic digital skills and 14 million enhanced interpersonal and advanced communications skills by 2030, the time to take constructive steps in developing hybrid skills is now – particularly for those companies eager to build more resilient, adaptable, and agile workforces needed for their pandemic recovery efforts."

The future of the tech skills market will be influenced – perhaps for decades – by the pandemic. Returning to 'business as usual' seems unlikely. As companies radically altered how they operated during the pandemic and how their workforces have also changed, this will influence how they develop and innovate in the future. As James Milligan, global head of technology at Hays, concludes, tech skills are now a much more complex and multifaceted asset all enterprises are defining.

"Organisations around the world quickly adapted to the challenges of country-wide lockdowns and made the necessary alterations to their operating models in the short-term to react to the changing environments. Now, they are starting to take a more proactive look at their futures, and need the help of project managers, change management specialists and those with experience in agile methodologies to assist them with this transition, as well as developers to build the digital applications required by their employees and customers."

A post-pandemic tech job landscape will be very different, with traditional distinctions between jobs and disciplines becoming less well defined as business leaders see they will need people with a broad skill set that isn't totally tech-based. Tech vacancies are now more customer-facing which illustrates how critical interpersonal skills supported with tech knowledge are in great demand.

Over the coming years, businesses and organisations will increasingly face a shortage of technology professionals because not enough young people are studying IT-related courses. There’s been a 40% decrease in students taking part in GCSE IT courses in the last six years. While 147,000 young people were studying GCSE ICT in 2015, this fell to 88,000 last year, according to a recent report from the Learning and Work Institute.

As many young people choose not to study IT subjects in school, demand for digital and technical skills is growing across all industries. In fact, the Learning and Work Institute report found that 60% of businesses believe they’ll become more reliant on advanced digital skills in the next five years. So, why are students shunning technology-based courses, and what will it take to fix this growing issue?

A growing issue

Despite fewer students taking up GCSE IT courses in recent years, experts warn that the government and educational bodies are failing to improve the ICT curriculum in the UK. Nigel Abbott, regional director of north EMEA at GitHub, says: “It is of course concerning that young people are steering away from IT GCSE. But unless the UK curriculum addresses the fundamental shortcomings in the way it teaches IT, this will not change. Students are currently being taught technical specifics that, by the time they take the next step in education or enter the workforce, are quickly outdated.”

Abbott believes that technically minded problem solvers are in growing demand by businesses today and that this should be reflected in the classroom. “So, IT GCSEs must focus on teaching young people how to think not what to think. Only by equipping them with techniques to think like coders will they learn how to solve complex IT problems. This approach would be beneficial for students, potential employers and the future of IT.”

Graham Hunter, VP of skills at CompTIA, points out that many young people don’t understand what a career in IT really means. As a result, they may be put off studying academic courses in the area – what he terms a “confidence gap”. He tells IT Pro: “Without sufficient role models, students often end up leaning on stereotypes like having to be good at maths for a career in technology.”

He says determining the right career path while in mainstream education can be a significant struggle, too. “When it comes to specialist vocational subjects like IT, introducing other progression options, such as apprenticeships and industry qualifications, can help to ignite and drive interest in IT earlier on in a student’s educational journey,” explains Hunter.

"Early exposure to IT careers for students is essential to promoting an interest in IT from more young people. UK businesses can facilitate this is by providing better, alternative ways for aspiring professionals to develop their skills, such as work experience or apprenticeships."

A wake-up call

The dramatic fall in students choosing to take computing GCSEs at a time when UK organisations continue to accelerate their digital strategies should be a wake-up call for educational institutions and businesses, says Jen Rodvold, head of digital ethics and tech for good at Sopra Steria.

Her view is that businesses need to work on several fronts to ward off a detrimental digital skills shortage. “Employers should increase their work with schools and colleges, sharing information with administrators and educators on what skills they are seeking in the short and medium terms to help shape employment-relevant curriculum,” she says. “They also need to send role models into classrooms to inspire young people by showing them the range of opportunities and the diversity of people working in tech.”

Rodvold says employers can also address skills shortages by reducing unnecessary barriers to roles, such as ensuring entry-level jobs and apprenticeships are open to people of all backgrounds, including those without a degree. “It is no longer acceptable to say a job is ‘entry level’ when it requires significant skills and a level of education that may not have been accessible to all,” she explains.

Business leaders and recruiters must also understand what kind of transferable skills from both inside and outside their industry can be considered from job applicants in order to close the skills gap.

“It’s critical for businesses to accept that, while STEM education is a great foundation for learning, continuous on-the-job training is incredibly valuable. In fact, there are a lot of professional or essential skills that are harder to train for than technical skills, so valuing the so-called soft skills, and then providing opportunities to learn new digital skills, is a great way to invest in people,” says Rodvold.

She adds that although there is no single silver bullet solution for inspiring students to take GCSE IT, this only further highlights the need for the organisations looking to plug the skills gap to explore as many avenues as possible to reverse the decline.

“Making these changes will not only help fill skills gaps now and serve as an investment towards future skills needs, but it will also help organisations improve their diversity and contribute to greater social mobility,” Rovold concludes.

Businesses taking action

With countless reports of a widening skills gap in the tech industry over the past few years, the fact that GCSE ICT uptake is continuing to decrease will be very worrying for businesses and organisations that depend on technical talent.

Alex Foster, director of insurance, wealth management, and financial services at BT, says: “Any drop in the take up of computing and other STEM subjects is of concern to the technology sector where there is already a growing skills gap.

“While many schools have specialist teachers for subjects like Maths, English and French, few schools in the UK have specialist computing teachers. Teaching IT requires a specialist skill set that can’t easily be filled by one teacher juggling multiple roles.”

But as a business that relies heavily on technical talent, BT is taking several steps to help young people develop a range of STEM skills and encourage them to pursue careers in the technology industry.

“BT’s purpose is to Connect for Good, which means we have a responsibility to do all we can alongside parents and teachers to encourage the take up of STEM. During lockdown, BT and EE mobile worked to increase access to mobile data for students, and continued to work on initiatives to further education in IT,” says Foster.

“Our partnership with Code First Girls provides women with the skills, space and inspiration to break into and excel in the tech industry by providing a community of coders and coaches, while our Skills for Tomorrow initiative with Internet Matters helps parents and families manage online risks while supporting children’s digital wellbeing and skills growth.”

Foster explains that the firm has also worked in partnership with the government, education organisations and technology businesses on the Barefoot Computing initiative, which provides free workshops and online guides to aid primary school teachers in delivering the computing curriculum.

She adds: “By supporting initiatives and showcasing exciting developments in this sector, we hope to increase awareness among young people of the huge array of opportunities that are available when studying computing and other STEM GCSEs.”

The decline in students studying GCSE IT is concerning for all businesses and organisations. But the only way to solve this crisis is by businesses, academic institutions, and the government working together to encourage young people to upskill in technical subjects and enter the technology industry. This will be paramount as more businesses and organisations look to digitally transform.

The tech skills gap is something that gets brought up again and again, as organisations lament their struggles to find talented developers, engineers and security professionals. The problem, so they claim, is that there just aren’t enough potential employees in the industry to meet demand for these positions.

But are companies struggling to fill roles because there aren’t enough qualified candidates, or does the real reason have more to do with hiring practises, company culture and attitudes towards certifications? This week, we’re taking a look at the supposed causes of the skills gap, and why companies are thinking about tech skills in the wrong way.

Footnotes

• The IT Pro Podcast: Picking a programming language
• Turn on, log in, burn out
• Why COVID-19 could spur a learning revolution
• Microsoft will help 1.5 million Brits build careers in tech by 2025
• Bridging the coronavirus skills gap
• The STEM skills gap — crisis averted?
• The IT Pro Podcast: How upskilling can improve diversity
• IBM job ad calls for 12-years of experience with six-year-old Kubernetes
• How do we fix security's toxic culture?
• Taking the road less travelled to a career in IT
• Two thirds of UK organisations facing digital skills gap
• Majority of Brits received no digital training during the pandemic
• Three-quarters of over-45s keen to invest in digital skills
• What should I be looking for when hiring a developer?
• CIO hiring process to focus on emotional intelligence in 2021
• So you want to work for a tech startup? It’s not all ping-pong tables and yoga
• What are your tech skills worth?
• The softer skills CIOs will need to adopt for the future
• 7 skills you need to become a front-end developer

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This article originally appeared in Issue 13 of IT Pro 20/20, available here. To receive each new issue in your inbox, click here.

By 2030, seven million workers could be under-skilled for their job requirements, according to research from the Industrial Strategy Council, or roughly 20% of the current UK workforce. The most severe shortages will be felt in basic digital and STEM skills, as well as core management, and as 80% of 2030’s anticipated workforce already in employment now, young people entering the marketplace won’t be enough to plug this gap.

The Industrial Strategy Council isn’t the only organisation to analyse the problem of skills mismatch in businesses. In its report, ‘The State of Skills 2021: Endangered’, EdTech firm Degreed found that tech skills are the most in demand for professionals across the world, with advanced IT and programming are the most desirable, followed by advanced data analysis, maths, tech design and engineering. Yet, as Sarah Danzl, skills expert at Degreed, explains, many organisations don’t have a firm grasp of the knowledge base already present among their staff.

“To build the skills they need for the future, businesses need an accurate picture of their skills gap. Yet a third (34%) of workers say their manager doesn’t know what skills they have, so businesses don’t have all the information they need to make informed decisions,” she tells IT Pro. “This means the potential to lose skilled workers if companies are forced to make redundancies without full information on their people’s skills. Businesses also risk reduced productivity if existing workers aren't utilising their skills to their fullest.”

The skills gap and the impending impact automation could have on jobs, is colouring the debate about which skills businesses will need in the short to medium term. How the DARQ technologies will influence businesses and the people they will need to take full advantage of these burgeoning technologies, is clearly having a practical impact on jobs. Workers looking to make a change in their working lives in the tech industry would be advised to take a broad view of which skills they need to equip themselves with.

Organisations that value the tech skills their staff have today and are prepared to make potentially significant investments in training, will be the companies that can continue to innovate in a rapidly changing world. In the Hays UK Salary and Recruitment trends report, over a third (36%) of technology employers don't have the talent they need to meet their current project goals.

The skills in most demand are IT infrastructure skills: cloud (56%), software development (54%), and project and change management (39%). When it comes to salaries, 74% of tech employers have increased pay by an average of 1.8%. Employers in the tech sector, though, should take note that nearly half (48%) of survey respondents said they would consider moving to a new employer if the salary or benefits package was attractive. While your business might want to review the salaries of your critical tech employees in light of this information, it’s worth noting that money alone may not be enough. Of the technology professionals who are planning to move jobs in the coming year, 21% said lack of future opportunities was the main motivating factor.

Speaking to IT Pro, James Milligan, global head of technology at HAYS, explains: “Tech skills are highly valued in the UK by virtue of having one of the world’s largest tech sectors. The value of these skills is particularly recognised in tech hubs such as London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Cambridge. The COVID-19 crisis has revealed just how integral tech skills really are: Huge shifts to our ways of working have increased the spotlight on systems and technology, and the skills that go with it.”

Tech skills UK

The value of tech skills will increase significantly in a post-COVID-19 business environment. Existing tech skills will have to be upgraded or at least augmented to meet the needs of employers who, in some cases, have radically altered their business development strategies.

Andrew Duncan, partner and UK CEO at Infosys Consulting, says: “The government’s pledge in the latest Spending Review to boost skills by encouraging millions more young people into further education, extending traineeships and sector-based work and improving the current apprenticeship system is certainly very encouraging. Digital tools, capabilities and security systems are all becoming critical for many firms as they adapt to meet the challenges of a changed market and ‘digital literacy’ will be required across all industries in the UK, from e-commerce to automation in factories.”

While the coronavirus pandemic is impacting skills and working arrangements across the globe, in the UK there’s the added complication of Brexit. According to Danzl, with the EU talent pool shrinking in the country, upskilling will become of paramount importance.

“Potential employees, who might have previously come to London, might choose to move to tech hubs within the EU, such as Amsterdam, Dublin or Paris, as it will be easier to secure work permits,” she says. “If this is the case, then organisations will have to rely more on homegrown talent, and upskilling will be key to achieving this.”

Future-proof your future

For many businesses, living with a chronic shortage of skilled tech workers is not new. Increasingly, to mitigate this problem – if not completely solve it – they are turning to upskilling and reskilling the workers they have. This has several benefits: It can be more cost-effective than hiring a new member of staff and existing staff members are already familiar with the culture and operations of the business.

Some organisations, though, are following the competing trend of using contract or freelance workers to fill roles that require a narrow, specialist skillset. While this can be a quick fix, it overlooks other benefits that upskilling can bring. As Ben Higgin, head of technology and investments at PwC UK explains: “When recruiting for any role, we are of course looking for the technical skills, but life skills are just as essential to fulfil that role.

“There is also a greater understanding of the need for fusion skills, such as collaboration, teamwork and problem solving – all crucial skills for technology innovation, which is so important to the driving growth in the UK economy. I think those are going to be critical skills as increasingly employers are going to look at ways to redeploy their workforce. It's all around the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

For workers, the state of skills study 2021 from Degreed, concludes that 41% of UK workers believe their core job skills will be obsolete within five years. Taking a proactive approach to learning new skills will be vital if they want to ensure their skills remain relevant and in demand.

For example, it’s not enough for a software engineer to know just one programming language. According to Joey Tait, managing director of software engineering recruitment agency Develop, many businesses look for multiple languages across front or backend development to compliment their technology stack.

Building these skills up are something individuals should take responsibility for themselves, too, particularly if their employer isn’t focused on upskilling workers. “There are a whole host of platforms for professionals to get to grips within their own time – Udemy, Coursera, Pluralsight – it’s all about taking initiative and refreshing your soft and technical skills,” says Tait.

Milligan, meanwhile, believes that the surges in demand for different tech skills seen in 2020 will continue into 2021 and beyond. “We’ve experienced such a fast pace of change in our world of work recently which has impacted the tech skills landscape and this shows no sign of slowing down in the upcoming year.

“The search for tech talent will only get fiercer during the next 12 months. Employers will be looking for those candidates who possess strong technical skills but will place an equally important emphasis on soft skills like adaptability and flexibility to help with expected changes and challenges ahead.”

What are tech skills worth? A great deal to businesses starved of the talent they need to continue to innovate. And, importantly, you don’t need a tech degree to apply for and win a highly paid tech job. Many of the leading companies in Silicon Valley have now removed a tech degree as a prerequisite for applications. Being self-taught, which shows a proactive drive to learn, is more valuable to them than a paper qualification. With an array of teaching platforms available, you can learn the tech skills you need to secure your current job or step into the highly paid tech job you have always wanted.

User experience (UX) design examines what makes a website, or platform, visually appealing and functional for users.

UX design school involves combining technology with psychology and aesthetics to predict and improve the pathways users might take. These journeys start as soon as a user makes first contact with the site, and finishes when they leave. Due to this, UX designers usually work to find novel answers to tricky questions, determining, for example, how simple the journey is if a user has a specific aim in mind, or the best image to text ratio.

UX design can have a huge impact on how a website performs when it comes to traffic or sales. For example, Time.com introduced a continuous scrolling feature in 2014, which resulted in a smoother user experience and a 15% drop in the bounce rate - highlighting how even minor changes can lead to major improvements.

Instead of just creating a pleasing UI, UX designers need more than design skills as they aspire to improve the wider user journey. This could be through balancing visual elements with text, or addressing pain points. UX designers must also boost a site’s conversion rate and aid businesses in achieving their online targets. Let's take a look at some of these in-depth.

1. Conducting UX research

Every UX designer needs to also be an effective researcher.

Before setting out on the task of designing a website, a designer first needs to conduct thorough research to establish the target audiences’ needs. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained through feedback mechanisms can serve as a gold standard when it comes to creating user-centric websites.

Using surveys, questionnaires, and open-ended interviews, a UX designer can determine customer pain points are and how to solve them. Backing the design with validated UI elements can also reduce bounce and exit rates.

2. Developing information architecture

Any website can be beautiful, but it can never overcome unclear messaging. Well-designed information architecture allows users to quickly find the information they need, boosting interaction.

When working on information architecture, UX designers need to have a keen eye for detail, and be able to analyze how much and what kind of information each website must contain. They also need to know how to categorize that information, and offer up the the best way to present it. A UX developer may also apply machine learning to deliver personalized, context-based information to a diverse clientele.

3. Creating wireframes

A wireframe is a two-dimensional illustration of a website’s interface comprising symbols, lines, and arrows as indicators of interactivity. The illustrations specifically focus on content hierarchy, white space allocation, page functionalities, and intended user behaviors.

They also happen to be one of the most important tools for developing or improving webites, and every UX designer needs to know how to get the most out of them.

Because wireframes are conceptual, UX designers can use them to explore design ideas before making any concrete decisions about the website’s overall structure.

4. Rapid prototyping

Once a wireframe is approved, app prototyping occurs, giving the website a preliminary body.

This simulation mimics the final product, allowing the design team to run tests and offer input. Prototypes may also undergo iterations based on a client’s feedback.

By and large, adjustments are made before the development process begins to keep costs low. That said, it’s not uncommon to incur changes in the development stage.

Some useful tools for creating UX design prototypes include Invision, Axure Origami Studio, and Adobe XD. UX designers should be familiar with all of these.

5. Coding

While UX designers aren’t expert coders, knowing the basics of front-end development technologies, such as HTML and CSS, allows UX designers to make iterative website changes without a developer’s help.

The skillset can come in handy when time is of the essence. Furthermore, understanding the underlying technology and its limitations can help reduce the number of design iterations and the number of tests.

6. Responsive design

A responsive web design allows users to view a website from any device, regardless of its screen size.

The fluidity comes from cascading style sheets (CSS) that alter websites’ design based on the target device. Understanding how responsive design works is instrumental for improving accessibility, especially given the growing popularity of surfing the internet on mobile devices.

MailChimp discovered a 5-15% increase in click rates following a responsive design that changed the display type, width, and height of a website according to mobile screen size.

7. User testing

User testing, UX testing, or usability testing examines how real users react to a website. Effective testing can help identify issues, strengths, and opportunities for further enhancement. There are several ways to test a UX design, one of which is the popular tree testing method.

During the tree test, users navigate a series of topics, choosing a heading and then a list of subtopics on a simplified, scaled-down text version of a website. This helps determine how easily users can find the information they need when they visit the website for the first time.

Above all else, empathy is key

The key to UX design is empathy, and being able to deliver features and pathways that users might not ask for but that they actually do need. Incorporating compassion into the design process will ensure that UX designers instigate changes that actually improve a user’s journey when navigating a platform.

Co-founder of Nielsen Norman Group, and former VP of research at Apple, Don Norman put it well when he said: “It’s not enough that we build products that function, that are understandable and usable, we also need to build products that bring joy and excitement, pleasure and fun, and yes, beauty to people’s lives.”