Demand for IT workers soars during coronavirus lockdown
The number of advertised jobs in the IT and logistics sectors soared last month as businesses adapt to the coronavirus lockdown, new data has revealed.
The logistics sector saw the biggest increase in available roles in March while demand for staff in IT and tech remained strong, according to figures from Totaljobs and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
The figures show that while some industries have been negatively impacted, other areas of the labour market are booming as the economy adapts to cope with the pandemic.
Job hunters are also increasingly turning to these sectors during the crisis, with searches for IT roles increasing 31 per cent in the second week of April.
Meanwhile jobs in warehouse operations and driving have attracted applications from 68,000 new users on Totaljobs, equivalent to a third of new applicants across the entire site.
There has also been increased demand for healthcare workers as the coronavirus crisis puts the NHS under strain.
In the last two weeks of March, the number of healthcare roles advertised increased by 17 per cent for doctors and seven per cent for nurses compared with the previous two weeks.
Equally, employer and candidate demand for social care roles has also risen in recent weeks.
“With so many firms facing serious challenges as a result of the pandemic, it is encouraging to see that opportunities remain in some parts of the labour market during these extraordinary times,” said BCC director general Dr Adam Marshall.
“This reflects the huge efforts that the NHS and social care sector, logistics firms and others are making to look after those affected by Covid-19 and keep vital supplies flowing across the United Kingdom.”
It comes after research earlier this month revealed that IT and tech workers could migrate away from London in the long term due to the capital’s high cost of living.
Three-quarters of tech workers based in greater London said they were likely to relocate for work within three years, according to a study by CW Jobs.
Manchester is set to be the biggest beneficiary of the moves, with more than a quarter of IT decision makers choosing the city as the best location to launch a business outside London.
“From our research the cost of living and getting on the ladder are key drivers for tech workers considering whether to relocate,” said CW Jobs director Dominic Harvey.
“These can be very difficult things to do in London, which is why workers may be considering finding Manchester and other locations more appealing as they strive for that better work-life balance.”