Tech jobs boom helps Sheffield rebound from pandemic

The sector accounted for 23 per cent of all jobs advertised in 2020, up three per cent on the year previous. The rise came as almost every other sector slowed or shut down due to months of restrictions and national lockdowns.

New data shows there were 5,591 tech-related vacancies out of a total of 24,501 in the city last year.

And they paid well, with an average annual salary of £34,750 - 28 per cent higher than for all jobs - while a software developer could expect to earn £40,000 and a Java developer £52,500.

The analysis was by job search engine Adzuna for Tech Nation’s Jobs and Skills Report 2021.

David Richards is a board member of Tech Nation and founder, chief executive and chairman of Sheffield software firm WANdisco.

He said the figures showed the ‘strong and growing’ demand for people with digital skills in Sheffield.

He added: “The city has a huge opportunity to create jobs and prosperity by equipping people with the skills to flourish in the new economy and help local companies to achieve their growth potential.”

Mr Richards is also founder of EyUp Skills which aims to create software developers, generate jobs and invest in start-ups across the North of England.

The project, which launched its first coding bootcamp last month, aims to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds, or who are under-represented in the tech sector, and create partnerships with third sector organisations.

Mr Richards added: “EyUp Skills is rising to this challenge. Our first digital skills academy is now up and running, teaching people all they need to know to get their first job as a software developer in just 16 weeks.”

Nearly 3m people, or nine per cent of the UK workforce, are employed in the UK tech industry, according to Tech Nation.

Dr George Windsor, head of insights at Tech Nation, said technology had been an ‘enabler’ during the pandemic.

He added: “As we return to a sense of normality, we are not returning to the economy, or the labour market that we left in 2019. More so than ever, tech is an enabler for broad-based economic growth in Sheffield and the UK.”

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.