Top 5 UK tech jobs

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The market for IT roles only continues to grow and is set to strengthen even more over the next year.

After a tough year, businesses are finding their feet again and are keen to continue with digital transformation plans and projects. This means that tech teams are growing again, and new IT roles are opening up, with a select few that will be most in demand this year.

The Robert Half Salary Guide revealed that 75% of IT hiring managers are confident in their growth prospects for 2024, with 50% looking to add brand new tech and IT employees to their teams.

Related: Best UK cities for tech - according to IT recruitment experts

Duncan Smorfitt, Market Director for technology, digital and marketing at Robert Half UK, explores the top 5 tech and IT jobs in demand for the future in 2024.

The tech industry is a competitive and innovative market, which is changing rapidly. This means businesses need specialists who understand how internal systems work, and more importantly, how they can be implemented.

Large-scale change programmes need tech leaders who can navigate the nuances of these products and systems; they also need IT employees that can work well with others, and make sure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Many organisations can’t move their IT infrastructure into the cloud for security and privacy reasons. Small and medium-sized businesses are also yet to fully embrace the technology.

But the development of hybrid models is helping to combine cloud technology and on-premise solutions as the platforms become more widely accessible.

These trends mean cloud technology experts are in high demand, and their skills will be pivotal for businesses going on this journey. In a market with skills shortages, IT professionals with a desire to upskill themselves will be well rewarded.

In the current climate, marketing professionals have to appeal to customers in a digital world, and software can greatly impact the implementation of marketing projects.

Lately, we have been placing people in companies who can introduce new tools that will save money and streamline processes – and A.I. is only going to accelerate this development.

Demand for marketing professionals with strong data and technology skills who can increase a company’s online presence and influence will continue to rise this year.

Software engineers who are capable of more than just coding are in high demand, as outsourcing developers at a lower cost is becoming a more accessible option.

Another challenge met by many tech organisations is the development of AI, as this technology can now replicate some of the work produced by developers. This only shines a light on the fact that wider skill sets are needed, as software engineers that can also help to develop vision and strategy are greatly needed.

Businesses need to understand what A.I technology can do for them and how to embrace it going forward.

A.I. specialists will cover a wide range of responsibilities, from machine learning, chat bots and automation, to translating the technology for their colleagues.

These specialists will come from all corners of the IT workforce and will upskill themselves as the technology develops. Those in mid to senior-level positions will lead the charge. They will implement ideas, move forward through trial and error, and help colleagues embrace the potential of A.I.

Related: For the latest tech data and IT industry developments, you can download our 2024 Salary Guide now.

Duncan Smorfitt is a market director for technology, digital and marketing at Robert Half. He supports ambitious rapid-growth businesses to grow their technology and marketing teams by providing fast access to the UK's top contractor talent.

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