Unlocking the UK’s tech talent potential
We’ve conducted a thorough review of how businesses within the UK tech sector, go about hiring the right individuals, with the correct skillsets for their organisations.
21 February 2024

Our seventh in a series of thought leadership reports, Unlocking the UK’s tech talent potential, has been published in partnership with Beauhurst and funded by the UK Government, to provide a detailed view of the skills and hiring trends, within the UK tech sector.
With the UK tech sector being as dynamic and diverse as it is, currently employing over 3m people, businesses generally prioritise attracting the right talent to help them effectively execute their company vision. Talent acquisition teams also need to be highly conscious of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) – across gender, ethnicity, disability, and socio-economic status whilst hiring, as there have historically been issues against these metrics, within the tech sector.
At present, rapid technological developments in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), engineering biology and more, are leading to a skills gap within the industry – where demand currently outstrips supply. As such competition for the UK’s top talent has increased, with the compensation and benefit packages offered by companies, also becoming highly competitive.
Typically, established companies that can afford to offer successful applicants higher salaries than competitors, in order to attract high profile and talented candidates. The current median wage being offered to technology professionals based in London is estimated to be £42,758, which is 55% higher than the national average salary.
This report looks at some of the wider government and local interventions being made, to help address the skills gap, salary scales and to improve DE&I metrics. Our analysis is conducted through the lens of the UK’s 15,000 active high-growth tech companies. We explore key trends in hiring strategies, the prominent locations new hires are based in, the top technology sub-sectors actively hiring, and more.
A review of university talent pools and industry networks is also conducted – considering how collaborations between businesses, professionals and organisations amongst subsectors helps to facilitate knowledge sharing and innovation. Incubators and early-stage accelerator programmes help university alumni to develop futureproof and viable business concepts, in addition to valuable networking opportunities and access to potential funding.
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