Digital revolution is changing job market

MORE THAN five per cent of workers across Yorkshire and Humberside have job titles that didn’t exist in 1990, the great majority of these created by the digital revolution, according to a new report from PwC.

The UK Economic Outlook (UKEO) report says that in West Yorkshire alone nearly six per cent of workers are employed in these new digital jobs, ahead of other regions like the East Midlands and Northern Ireland.

Ian Morrison, PwC’s Yorkshire and North East regional leader, said: “Yorkshire, and in particular Leeds, has undoubtedly benefitted from the digital revolution in terms of both employment and skills over the last few years, with this expected to accelerate over the next decade.

“And initiatives such as the Leeds Digital Hub and Tech North are helping the city to carve out a reputation as a major digital hub.”

The research says that West Yorkshire will benefit from 7.6 per cent employment growth over the next ten years, above the UK average of 7.2 per cent, as skilled cities like Leeds, continue to be key motors of jobs growth, both in digital areas and more generally across the economy.

The report was prepared by PwC in association with Dr Carl Benedikt Frey of the Oxford Martin School at Oxford University.

It highlights a shift in the UK workforce towards highly skilled professional and technical roles, which the research shows are closely linked to overall economic performance in major UK regions and cities.

Mr Morrison said that the projected growth was encouraging. “But there needs to be significant investment in infrastructure to continue to facilitate the diffusion of new jobs across the region,” he warned.