U.K is the digital tech capital of Europe, according to Tech Nation’s report.

The highlights of the report include:-

  • In 2016, digital tech investment reached £6.8 billion in the UK, 50% higher than any other European country.
  • UK digital tech turnover has reached nearly £100 billion, an increase of 10% in the past five years.
  • There are 1.64 million digital tech jobs in the UK and the creation of new jobs in the sector outpaces non-digital.
  • Productivity levels are also higher among digital tech workers. The GVA (gross value added) of a digital tech worker is double that of a non-tech employee.

The report encompasses talent, investment, skills and collaboration opportunities.

That’s positive news for now but a tech talent crisis is still a very real issue for UK businesses.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) latest Jobs Outlook survey found that over half of employers expect a shortage of candidates for permanent jobs.

HR now faces the dual challenges of attracting new talent while holding on to existing employees with essential tech skills. 

Stack Overflow’s latest Developer Hiring Landscape Report found that less than 10% of developers are looking for new jobs and 60% spend just one hour or less each week on their job search.

To add to this dilemma, the UK also faces an existing digital skills shortage crisis. An estimated 745,000 workers are needed in the workforce this year but companies are failing to invest in key digital skills.