Many companies are looking for IT staff, in an effort to adapt and cope with the new conditions created by remote working amid COVID-19.
Recruitment in London has been severely affected by COVID -19, particularly in sectors such as retail and construction. Companies are being asked to rethink or overhaul their business models and processes to cope, and are increasingly looking for IT staff to work on new projects. With a large number of employees working remotely, someone needs to be able to help these people if they encounter problems, which means hiring new support staff.
So, tech jobs, which have been held back more than other sectors, now account for the bulk of hiring in London, according to a report by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies ( APSCo) . Tech jobs now account for 35% of all job vacancies, APSCo said. Under normal circumstances, that figure would be at most 15%.
The top five skills across London are all IT-related. At the top are software developers and engineers, followed by IT infrastructure management specialists. IT specialists , analysts and technical support staff are also in high demand, according to the new data, as they will be able to help support the large number of employees working from home.
Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, said that the fact that IT hiring continues to be significant is perhaps unexpected, considering the increasing need for businesses across industries to embrace remote work. The APSCo report also noted that marketing hiring continues to be sustained, which depends to some extent on whether businesses want to increase their digital marketing and communications activities. Finally, the report noted that now that many are working from home, the challenge of keeping remote workers engaged and functioning as a cohesive unit is greater than ever.
