The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rapid growth in Scottish tech sector predicted to continue
EDUCATION: Work ongoing to establish routes into tech after 12% decline in pupils taking computer science at school
Growth in the technology industry in Scotland is now one and half times faster than the economy overall and now supports 100,000 jobs.
Research published by national skills body Skills Development Scotland (SDS) shows the tech sector also contributes £4.9 billion to the Scottish economy and work is ongoing to promote the sector to young people.
The report also forecasts the sector will see the second fastest growth in Scotland between now and 2029, second only to childcare services.
The rise has brought with it increased employment opportunities, with more than 13,000 jobs available per year, a rise of 200 positions per annum since 2017.
With universities such as Abertay and Dundee playing a key role, there has been a 20% increase in students studying computer science at university, however there has been a 12% decline in pupils taking the subject at school.
Despite the positive news around digital technology careers, SDS claims more still needs to be done to address the skills gap, particularly in the areas of equality and education.
The skills body noted the proportion of women in tech roles has increased from 18% to 23% between 2015 and 2018.
SDS sector manager Claire Gillespie said: “There has been a shift from the traditional role of tech as a business support function to being an integral and fundamental part of just doing business.
“The career opportunities are phenomenal, exciting and hugely rewarding, especially in fastpaced sectors like fintech, digital health, gaming and even the digital transformation of the public sector.”
Wages in the sector are typically 26% higher than the Scottish average – £36,900 compared to £29,200 – and are also rising faster than other salaries.