IT Unemployment in 2026: Tech Demand Recovers but Entry-Level Roles Remain Scarce
Recruiters say IT is leading the rise in permanent hiring, yet graduate tech vacancies have fallen sharply. Here is what the figures mean for new graduates.
IT unemployment has become a worry for many computing graduates. Stories about AI replacing junior roles are everywhere, and graduate vacancies have fallen. At the same time, recruiters say IT and computing is one of the sectors leading the recovery in permanent hiring. This article looks at what the figures actually show and how graduates can give themselves the best chance.
The Big Picture: UK Unemployment in Autumn 2026
UK unemployment was 4.7% in June to August 2026, with 691,000 vacancies in July to September and 2.4 unemployed people per vacancy (ONS Labour market overview, October 2026). Vacancies fell in 14 of the 18 industry sectors over the quarter (ONS Vacancies and jobs in the UK, October 2026).
A quick note on the data. The Office for National Statistics does not publish a monthly unemployment rate for each industry, so to judge how a sector is doing we look at the official vacancy figures alongside hiring surveys and graduate job data from named sources. Every figure below links to where it came from.
Tech Hiring Is Picking Up for Experienced Staff
The KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs for September 2026 found that IT and computing and engineering led the sectors reporting higher demand for permanent staff, and IT and computing was also one of only three areas where temporary vacancies grew. The overall permanent placements index reached its strongest level in four years.
Our article on tech skills in demand in 2026 covers the areas employers are asking for most, including AI, data and cyber security.
Entry-Level Tech Roles Are Harder to Find
The picture is very different at the start of a career. At a techUK panel on entry-level jobs in April 2026, speakers cited Adzuna figures showing UK graduate vacancies fell below 10,000 in January, down 45% year on year. The panel also cautioned that rising employer costs and weak business confidence are driving cuts to junior hiring at least as much as AI (techUK, May 2026).
The Institute of Student Employers reports that graduate hiring stabilised in the 2025/26 cycle with a 4% rise, after an 8% fall the year before, but with more than 1.7 million applications for 31,577 hires across the employers it surveyed (HR Grapevine, reporting ISE data).
What This Means for Computing Graduates
Demand for people who already have experience is rising faster than demand for beginners. That means the gap between a graduate and a junior hire is about evidence: projects you have shipped, systems you have supported and problems you have solved. Our article on graduate tech jobs in 2026 has more on how employers are recruiting.
Service desk, IT support, junior data and QA roles remain realistic ways in, and many people move up from them within a year or two. A portfolio, a relevant certification and clear examples on your CV all help you stand out.
Start With a Free CV Check
When competition for each job is tighter, small CV problems cost more interviews. Our free CV check gives you a score and practical feedback on structure, content and how well an applicant tracking system can read your CV. It costs nothing, takes a couple of minutes and you do not need a subscription to use it.
Tech graduate CVs often lead with a long list of languages and tools. The feedback will help you put your strongest projects first and show what each one achieved, which is what hiring managers look for when there are hundreds of applicants.
Once your CV is in shape, our CV Job Matcher can search a large UK job feed for IT and tech jobs that fit your skills and location, and suggest roles you could move into with the experience you already have.
Coming Soon: A Work Diary App to Help Graduates Build Stronger CVs
We are building a new app with graduates and early-career jobseekers in mind. The hardest part of a first CV is remembering, and proving, what you have actually done. The app will let you log your daily tasks as you go, whether that is a placement, a project, a part-time job or your first graduate role, so the detail is captured while it is fresh. For a computing graduate, that could be the tickets you closed, the features you built, the bugs you fixed, the courses you completed and the certifications you passed, each logged as you go.
It will also keep your certificates in one place. When you apply for a job, the app will use your whole work diary to build a CV tailored to that role, drawing on everything you have done rather than what you happen to remember on the day.
Over time, a steady record like this is designed to help you write a stronger CV, show real progress to employers and widen the range of jobs you can apply for with confidence. No app can promise a particular job, but a better evidence base gives you a better chance at every application. The app is still in development and is not available yet. We will share news on this blog when it launches.
Where to Look for Tech Jobs Now
Look beyond big tech to public sector, finance, retail and manufacturing employers, who all hire IT staff. Visit our IT jobs hub, read our guide to IT career progression or browse our vacancies page.
Sources
All figures in this article come from these sources, checked on 22 October 2026:
IT Unemployment: Frequently Asked Questions
Is it hard to get a tech job as a graduate in 2026?
Yes, it is harder than it was. Adzuna figures cited by techUK show graduate vacancies down 45% year on year in January 2026, so a strong CV and portfolio matter more than ever.
Is AI the reason there are fewer junior tech jobs?
It is one factor, but a techUK panel in April 2026 said rising employer costs and weak business confidence are driving junior hiring cuts at least as much as AI.
Which IT roles are still hiring?
Recruiters report rising demand for IT and computing staff overall, with AI, data and cyber security skills in particular demand. Service desk and support roles remain common entry points.
What is the new Bernoullis work diary app?
It is an app we are building, aimed especially at graduates. It will let you log your daily tasks, store your certificates and turn your whole work diary into a CV tailored to the job you want. It is designed to help you build a stronger CV over time. It is still in development and not available yet.
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