Downers Grove, IL (Jan. 5, 2024) — Tech industry employment gains were positive for the month in contrast to several lagging measures, a continuation of the mixed signals era, according to analysis by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.
Tech industry employment experienced a net increase of 12,922 new positions, the largest monthly gain since April 2023, CompTIA’s analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) #JobsReport data reveals.1 Jobs were added in four of the five primary sub-sectors, led by technology services and software development (+8,500) and cloud infrastructure and related positions (+4,400). Tech manufacturing led by semiconductors also had a solid month (+1,600).
Technology occupations throughout the economy declined by 79,000 positions last month.2 The unemployment rate for tech occupations increased to 2.3%. In comparison the national unemployment rate stands at 3.7%.
“Tech employment remains on solid footing,” said Tim Herbert, chief research officer at CompTIA. “Despite the ongoing pattern of mixed signals in the labor market tracking data, the optimistic outlook continues to hold.”
Job postings for tech occupations also fell back. Active job postings for tech positions totaled nearly 364,000, including 142,295 newly added by employers in December.3 Employer hiring for artificial intelligence job roles and specialized skills continues to exceed the 10% threshold as a percentage of all tech job postings.
Industries with the largest volumes of tech job postings included professional, scientific and technical services; administrative and support services; and manufacturing. Among metropolitan markets, Washington, New York, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles had the most tech job openings, while Pittsburgh and Providence recorded modest month-over-month gains in postings.
The “CompTIA Tech Jobs Report” is available here.
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About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world’s leading information technology (IT) certification and training body. CompTIA is a mission-driven organization committed to unlocking the potential of every student, career changer or professional seeking to begin or advance in a technology career. Millions of current and aspiring technology workers around the world rely on CompTIA for the training, education and professional certifications that give them the confidence and skills to work in tech.
1 Labor market data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and employer job posting data from Lightcast may be subject to backward revisions.
2 Monthly occupation level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tends to experience higher levels of variance and volatility.
3 Active job postings include open postings carried over from previous months and new postings added by employers
