ICT Job Market Tightness Eases, but Demand Remains High

By Netvora Tech News

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The labor market for ICT professionals has seen a slight decline in tightness, but the demand for skilled workers remains historically high, according to a recent report by the Dutch government's labor agency, UWV.

Job Vacancies and Unemployment Figures

Last year, the number of ICT job vacancies decreased by 13%, while the number of ICT workers receiving unemployment benefits increased by 22%. The ICT labor market remains the tightest of all industries, with over 22,600 ICT job vacancies remaining unfilled. Furthermore, there has been a notable increase in ICT job vacancies at government agencies.

Causes of the Decline in Job Vacancies

According to the UWV, the decline in job vacancies is attributed to a decrease in open positions over the past two years, while the number of people receiving unemployment benefits with ICT skills has increased. This has brought the demand and supply of ICT workers closer together. The top five ICT job categories with the most open vacancies last year were servicedeskmedewerkers, systeemontwikkelaars, ict-adviseurs, systeembeheerders, and functioneel beheerders.

Unemployment Figures among ICT Professionals

In February, 5,300 people with ICT skills received unemployment benefits. While this is a relatively small number compared to the total number of ICT workers, it indicates a slight slowdown in the growth of unemployment among ICT professionals. The rapid increase in ICT unemployment seen in previous years appears to have come to an end, with only a slight growth observed in recent months.

Impact of AI on the Job Market

The UWV report also notes a broader trend of reorganizations and layoffs at tech companies, particularly among large international software firms. This trend may be a possible explanation for the changes in the ICT labor market. However, the agency stresses that the impact of AI on the job market is still unclear.