The latest Technology Sector Report from APSCo and CV-Library suggests the technology sector is holding steady rather than accelerating, with modest but consistent growth during Q2 2026.
The report found that 126,861 tech vacancies were advertised during the quarter – up 4.3 per cent year-on-year – while demand for AI talent continued to rise. AI-related vacancies increased by 41.8 per cent compared to the same period last year and now account for 4.6 per cent of all technology roles advertised.
Employers also continued to prioritise permanent hiring, with permanent roles accounting for 88 per cent of all technology vacancies and increasing by 4.9 per cent year-on-year. Contract hiring, meanwhile, remained broadly flat annually and fell 6.1 per cent compared with the previous quarter.
Artificial Intelligence Engineer was one of the fastest-growing roles, with vacancies rising 74.4 per cent year-on-year. It was also the highest average advertised salary of £78,821 while Data Scientist salaries saw the strongest annual increase, rising 22.2 per cent.
Salary transparency also continued to improve, with 34 per cent of tech vacancies including salary information, up from 32.1 per cent a year ago. However, two-thirds of roles still don’t advertise pay.
“The latest data paints a picture of a technology recruitment market that is stable, but evolving rapidly,” said Samantha Hurley, Managing Director at APSCo UK. “While overall vacancy volumes have remained relatively consistent, the makeup of demand is changing, with AI, data and cybersecurity skills becoming increasingly critical to business growth and transformation.
“What is particularly encouraging is that employers continue to invest in permanent talent despite wider market uncertainty,” she added. “This demonstrates a longer-term commitment to building robust digital capabilities rather than relying solely on short-term resource solutions.”
Hurley also said the sustained growth in AI-related hiring should also act as a wake-up call for both employers and policymakers. “The UK has a significant opportunity to strengthen its position as a global technology leader, but achieving that will require continued investment in skills, workforce development and talent attraction strategies,” she said.
The findings are based on CV-Library’s analysis of Lightcast labour market data and candidate activity from CV-Library’s database of more than 1.4 million registered technology professionals.
