New data reveals surge in young workers entering science and technology roles
New data from Employment Hero, the global leader in HR, hiring and payroll software, reveals a strong uplift in employment in the science and technology sector in March, driven by Gen Z workers.
New analysis of anonymised payroll data from almost 700 science and technology businesses across the UK, representing more than 9,700 employees, finds that employment in the sector rose 0.3% month-on-month and 6.3% year-on-year in March across all age groups. Among Gen Z workers, this rises to 3% and 14% respectively.
Science and technology has long been a key strategic growth area for the UK economy. Last summer, the government pledged to invest £86bn into the science and technology sector by the end of the parliament. Amid the ongoing debate around the impact of AI on entry-level roles, Employment Hero’s data finds that continued investment is having a tangible impact, creating new opportunities for young people.
This supports recent research commissioned by Employment Hero, which found that 62% of business leaders are already creating new roles in response to the emergence of AI.
A complex national picture
Recent moves by major technology companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, to establish a presence in London underline the capital’s growing appeal as a global technology hub. Alongside this, the government’s AI Growth Zone policy is delivering significant investment across the UK.
Employment Hero data indicates that employment growth within the science and technology sector is being driven outside of London, where employment growth fell 0.3% year-on-year in March. By comparison, employment growth in The North of England is up 11.5% year-on-year and 19.7% year-on-year in The East.
| Region | Year-on-year employment growth |
| Greater London | -0.3% |
| The North of England | 11.5% |
| The East of England | 19.7% |
| The Midlands | 2.7% |
| The South (exc. London) | -2.3% |
The competition for talent
Employment Hero data also finds that wage growth in the science and technology sector was up 0.7% month-on-month, rising to 1.9% for Gen Z workers. This outstrips the growth recorded among all other age groups.
In a sector plagued by skills shortages, this suggests that employers are hiking wages to attract and retain young talent. At a time when rising inflation is eating into take home pay, strong wage growth is especially attractive to Gen Z workers starting out their careers.
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director at Employment Hero, said: “Supporting the growth of the UK’s science and technology sectors has been a long-term goal of successive governments, and the UK has become home to companies that demonstrate genuine sector leadership. Our data shows that the UK’s focus on science and technology is beginning to pay off, driving growth and providing young people access to new types of jobs.
“More broadly, this reflects how technology and AI are transforming the labour market, creating new opportunities and reshaping what employers look for in candidates. Amid a backdrop of chronic skills shortages and an ageing workforce, there is understandably strong competition for talent in this sector, demonstrated by the strong wage growth recorded last month. While this is good news for employees, we must be mindful that this may create competitive pressures for smaller businesses working in these industries.”