according to the latest Tech Cities Job Watch Survey from Experis, the global leader in professional IT resourcing. This is almost double the year-on-year growth in permanent salaries, which increased by 4.61%. As self-employment reaches a 40-year high and makes up around 15% of the UK workforce,[1] the freelance dream of higher pay and more flexible working has rapidly become reality for many people.
The report, a tracker of IT jobs advertised (across the five key technology disciplines: Big Data, Cloud, IT Security, Mobile and Web Development) in Q2 2016, shows that employer demand for contractors has outstripped permanent workers too – with an annual growth of 2.23%, compared to an increase of 1.95% for permanent roles.
Geoff Smith, Managing Director at Experis, commented: “Gig working and digital platforms make it very easy for tech professionals to go freelance and for employers to tap into global talent. With their skills highly sought after, IT experts can demand a premium as well as have their pick of projects. This trend is only set to rise. 69% of IT managers will become increasingly reliant on temp staff to plug the growing skills gap and they believe 28% of their workforce needs to be employed on a contingent basis to achieve tech transformation[2]. As we navigate through times of uncertainty following Brexit, a flexible workforce that can be quickly scaled up or down will be more attractive too.”
In terms of specific tech skills, the biggest year-on-year growth in day rates was seen in the Cloud discipline, which grew by 11.34%. This was followed by IT Security on 4.98% and Mobile on 3.49%. In the perm market, Big Data once again offered the highest average permanent salary (£65,587), followed by IT Security (£58,003).
“We’re seeing demand and remuneration for IT security professionals continue to climb, as the threat of cyber-attack intensifies. But with tech developing so fast and cyber criminals becoming more sophisticated, it’s proving extremely difficult to find skilled talent both long and short-term to mitigate the risk. We urge IT professionals, whether contract or permanent, to up-skill in this area by completing certified courses and training. The education system should also focus on cyber security within IT programmes, so students have greater knowledge and understanding when they enter the world of work.”
Comparing regions, London offered the highest average contractor day rate this quarter at £450. However, the strongest quarter-on-quarter growth was seen outside of the capital. In Bristol, average day rates grew by 10.28% compared to Q1 2016 followed by Glasgow (6.95% growth) and Newcastle (6.84% growth).
www.experis.co.uk
[1] http://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/august2016
[2] Experis report: Tomorrow’s Tech Teams, April 2016
