Justina Alexandra Sava
Research expert covering the IT security & services market
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The digital sector is also an essential source of jobs in the UK. Technology companies trading on the London Stock Exchange, such as IBM Corporation and many other digital businesses – from early-stage startups to larger firms – operate across the entire country. This provided employment for over 1.78 million people within the digital economy sector as of 2021, increasing by nearly one million employees compared to the same period in 2020. The largest segment of the digital sector in the UK in terms of economic contribution – computer programming, consultancy, and related activities – was home to nearly 152 thousand businesses in 2021. However, the digital segment with the highest employment in the UK was computer consultancy activities, with 483 thousand people as of 2021.Digital Talent
Currently, digital skills have developed to become more of a requirement, giving individuals who possess the necessary digital skills the ability to demand considerably higher salaries. Within the UK’s digital sector, median earnings for people employed in the information service activities sector were valued at nearly 41 thousand British pounds. The highest median salaries were recorded in the computer programming, consultancy, and related activities sub-sector.It comes as no surprise that the highest salaries in the country were paid in London. The capital has a thriving tech community and is considered the digital capital of Europe. In December 2016, London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, launched the Digital Talent Program to provide training opportunities for young people and support women and ethnic minority groups to gain the necessary skills for finding a job in London’s digital, tech, and creative sectors. The program consisted of several business and college partnerships and invested seven million British pounds in improving young Londoners' teaching and learning.
