In 2022, when asked about tech skills gaps in their company, ** percent of respondents reported that the main gaps in tech skills today were IT technicians. Looking to the future, IT decision-makers anticipated that the main gaps in tech skills were going to remain similar to those seen today, with AI/machine learning topping the list.

The technology sector continues to grapple with significant skill gaps, particularly in cybersecurity. A recent survey of IT professionals in the United States reveals that ** percent identified cybersecurity as the area with the greatest skill shortage in 2024. This finding underscores the ongoing challenge of meeting the growing demand for cybersecurity expertise in an increasingly digital world. Global impact of cybersecurity skill shortages The cybersecurity skill gap is not limited to the United States. The Asia-Pacific region faces the largest workforce gap, with over **** million IT security professionals needed. Globally, there is a shortage of around *** million cybersecurity professionals. This widespread deficit highlights the critical need for education and training programs to address the growing demand for cybersecurity expertise worldwide. Progress and challenges in addressing skill gaps Despite the ongoing shortages, there are signs of progress in addressing cybersecurity skill gaps. From 2020 to 2024, the percentage of U.S. states with staff possessing required cybersecurity skills increased from ** percent to ** percent. However, challenges remain, as evidenced by the cybersecurity worker-to-job opening ratio in the United States, which stands at ** percent, meaning there are only enough workers to fill ** percent of the available cybersecurity jobs, with significant variations across states. Looking ahead, the U.S. cybersecurity workforce is projected to grow from approximately ******* jobs in 2024 to over ******* by 2034, indicating a continued need for skilled professionals in this critical field.

In 2023, building internal capabilities was the biggest talent strategy that was implemented to address the skill gap, with a ** percent share of survey respondents reporting the same. This was followed by hiring more generalists and focusing on adaptability with a ** percent share. Only ** percent of respondents reported outsourcing technical skills to address skills gap within their organizations.

Over the past six years, over **** of the global organizations surveyed have experienced a skills shortage that has consistently held them back. The drop in skills shortages among organizations in 2020 was mostly due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that impacted companies' ability to hire. However, in 2023, ** percent of organizations still experienced a skills shortage in tech.

Percentage of enterprises that encountered skill shortages in specific areas, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and enterprise size, based on a one-year observation period. Specific areas include basic digital, computer science, information technology, general data science and analytics, natural sciences and engineering, management, business, international business, skilled trades, design, coaching and mentoring skills to meet the needs of the business, and e-commerce or digital trade.

Actions planned by businesses or organizations to address skills gaps or employee skill deficiencies over the next 12 months, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), business employment size, type of business, business activity and majority ownership, fourth quarter of 2023.

In 2023, ** percent of HR managers expressed their belief that their companies would face a skills gap due to the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Conversely, ** percent stated they did not foresee a skills gap arising from the rise of AI. The slim difference in these perspectives among HR managers underscores the ongoing uncertainty regarding the impact of AI on employment trends, even more than a year after generative AI was introduced to the public.

This statistic shows the share of IT decision-makers reporting skills gaps in the IT industry, in 2016 and 2017. Seventy-one percent of respondents in the U.S. and Canada reported that their team faced a shortage of necessary skills to meet organizational goals in 2017.

During a 2023 survey carried out among more than ***** marketers from the United Kingdom (UK), the lack of data and analytics skills was identified as the leading skills gap within marketing teams, named by nearly ** percent of responding B2B marketers and almost ** percent of B2C marketers. Lack of content and/or copywriting skills ranked second, named by **** percent and **** percent of respondents, respectively.

In March 2023, over ** percent of the surveyed IT decision-makers stated that the lack of skills and expertise in cloud operations has impacted somehow or significantly the ability of their companies to achieve their business goals.

In 2022, approximately 10 percent of employers in the United Kingdom reported having skills-shortage vacancies, a type of job vacancy where the employers struggle to fill a position due to applicants not having the required skills or qualifications. Additionally, 36 percent of all job vacancies in the UK were due to skills shortages, compared with 22 percent in 2017.

Soft skills such as communication, flexibility, and leadership were mentioned to be the biggest skill gap among recent cybersecurity university graduates in both 2023 and 2024. Security controls followed, highlighted by nearly ** percent of respondents in 2024, an increase compared to 2023.

Over ** percent of respondents worldwide expected the biggest shortage regarding IT security skills to be for IT security administrators in 2024. By contrast, only around ** percent of respondents considered lacking risk and fraud analysts.

In 2023, around ** percent of human resource (HR) managers stated that their companies had plans to invest in AI training tools to overcome the skills gap caused by artificial intelligence (AI), while ** percent of managers reported that their company plans to hire new employees as a response to the AI-caused skill shortage.

As of 2022, approximately 43 percent of job vacancies in the information and communications sector in the United Kingdom were due to skills shortages, compared with 42 percent in the manufacturing sector. As of this year, the sector with the lowest proportion of job vacancies due to skills shortages was financial services, at 24 percent.

Diversity in Tech Statistics: In today's tech-driven world, discussions about diversity in the technology sector have gained significant traction. Recent statistics shed light on the disparities and opportunities within this industry. According to data from various sources, including reports from leading tech companies and diversity advocacy groups, the lack of diversity remains a prominent issue. For example, studies reveal that only 25% of computing jobs in the United States are held by women, while Black and Hispanic individuals make up just 9% of the tech workforce combined. Additionally, research indicates that LGBTQ+ individuals are underrepresented in tech, with only 2.3% of tech workers identifying as LGBTQ+. Despite these challenges, there are promising signs of progress. Companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion initiatives, with some allocating significant resources to address these issues. For instance, tech giants like Google and Microsoft have committed millions of USD to diversity programs aimed at recruiting and retaining underrepresented talent. As discussions surrounding diversity in tech continue to evolve, understanding the statistical landscape is crucial in fostering meaningful change and creating a more inclusive industry for all. Editor’s Choice In 2021, 7.9% of the US labor force was employed in technology. Women hold only 26.7% of tech employment, while men hold 73.3% of these positions. White Americans hold 62.5% of the positions in the US tech sector. Asian Americans account for 20% of jobs, Latinx Americans 8%, and Black Americans 7%. 83.3% of tech executives in the US are white. Black Americans comprised 14% of the population in 2019 but held only 7% of tech employment. For the same position, at the same business, and with the same experience, women in tech are typically paid 3% less than men. The high-tech sector employs more men (64% against 52%), Asian Americans (14% compared to 5.8%), and white people (68.5% versus 63.5%) compared to other industries. The tech industry is urged to prioritize inclusion when hiring, mentoring, and retaining employees to bridge the digital skills gap. Black professionals only account for 4% of all tech workers despite being 13% of the US workforce. Hispanic professionals hold just 8% of all STEM jobs despite being 17% of the national workforce. Only 22% of workers in tech are ethnic minorities. Gender diversity in tech is low, with just 26% of jobs in computer-related sectors occupied by women. Companies with diverse teams have higher profitability, with those in the top quartile for gender diversity being 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. Every month, the tech industry adds about 9,600 jobs to the U.S. economy. Between May 2009 and May 2015, over 800,000 net STEM jobs were added to the U.S. economy. STEM jobs are expected to grow by another 8.9% between 2015 and 2024. The percentage of black and Hispanic employees at major tech companies is very low, making up just one to three percent of the tech workforce. Tech hiring relies heavily on poaching and incentives, creating an unsustainable ecosystem ripe for disruption. Recruiters have a significant role in disrupting the hiring process to support diversity and inclusion. You May Also Like To Read Outsourcing Statistics Digital Transformation Statistics Internet of Things Statistics Computer Vision Statistics

Percentage of SREP projects from 1998–2018 across STEM fields.