A report by managed cloud hosting provider Hyve Managed Hosting has revealed that 81% of UK businesses have experienced difficulties due to a shortage of skilled IT and tech professionals. The ‘IT and Tech Skills Gap Report 2024,’ which polled some 500 UK business and IT decision-makers, indicates that this skills shortage has affected many types of companies across various sectors.
“As we prepare for a data-driven future, there is clearly a growing divide between the technology skills employers need and the skills they actually have access to,” said Hyve Managed Hosting’s operations director, Charlotte Webb. “Our report highlights just how complex a strategy is required to address today’s skills gap – one that increases collaboration between business, government and educational institutions to promote STEM subjects and the importance of IT skills across the modern working landscape.”
IT skills shortage impacting businesses of all stripes
The report found that a large proportion of businesses are struggling to fill IT roles, creating challenges across different sectors. This skills shortage, along with economic uncertainty and the pressure to keep up with technological developments, has been identified by business leaders as a key challenge. Many respondents attribute the shortage to the rapid pace of technological change, which they say is outpacing the development of new talent.
The report states that 31% of respondents believe academic institutions are not producing enough qualified candidates to meet industry demands. Additionally, 30% of respondents think schools are not adequately preparing individuals for entry-level roles in the tech sector. The competition among companies is also a factor, with 35% of respondents stating that larger companies are drawing skilled professionals away from smaller businesses. Another 27% of respondents cited the high cost of hiring as a contributing factor to the shortage.
The report identifies cybersecurity (43%) and cloud computing (34%) as the most sought-after skills, followed by machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) at 33%, software development (26%), and data analysis (25%).
Some business leaders also reported challenges in identifying the specific skills needed when recruiting IT professionals. Over half of the respondents said they often hire less qualified candidates due to the lack of suitable applicants.
Businesses are using various approaches to address the skills gap. Many are investing in training and development, adjusting recruitment processes, and partnering with managed service providers (MSPs).
According to the report, 65% of businesses currently work with MSPs, with 90% of those using MSPs to help mitigate the effects of the skills shortage. Additionally, 33% of businesses rely on MSPs for managing IT and tech processes.
Earlier this week, a separate survey of US office workers found that 46% of respondents believe their skills will be overtaken by AI within the next five years. The study also revealed that 29% of respondents expect their skillsets to become obsolete even sooner than that. The research points to growing concerns about the need for upskilling, with workers facing barriers such as time constraints and a lack of relevant training, making it harder to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
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