UK tech sector has employment void; Favors experience over graduates

A UK research thinktank found the technology and telecommunications industry in the United Kingdom is set to grow five times the national average this decade.

As a result, 110,000 new recruits will be required to stabilise the UK economy and the tech industry, with only one-fifth of the new recruits coming directly from further and higher education.

The report, however, says that the IT industry favours "experienced workers either from other sectors over young recruits from the education system". This issue stems from not just shortages in skills, but an ailing economy and difficulty gaining basic employment at the low end of the IT employment spectrum.

1 in every 20 people employed in the UK work in the IT industry, showing a huge capital behind investment in technology. With on average 70 graduate students applying for the same job, there is a huge disparity in potential for younger, well educated Generation Y prospective employees in the job market.

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Another alarming statistic from the research shows only 18% of the IT industry in the UK shown as female.

Karen Price, chief executive of E-Skills UK highlighted the need for "for continued action to attract talent from all sources, particularly women", as well as a new programmes aimed at helping younger people into the sector.

While the report shows that nearly 20% of all new recruits to fill this void of 110,000 new employees needed in the sector coming directly from education, the job market is still favoured for the older, male Generation X employee with experience under their belts.

Once again, the state of the IT industry of a hegemonic, male-dominated, and younger-person unfriendly workplace becomes apparent.