Despite a continuing rise in demand, recruiters have been struggling to source for talent for the last two years
Many reports have talked about a dire shortage of tech talent in Singapore, but how true is it really?
Recruitment platform Indeed studied over two years jobseeker interest in crucial tech roles like cybersecurity, data analytics, machine learning and robotics and found alarming statistics regarding the magnitude of the problem.
Cybersecurity roles most challenging to fill
Indeed’s research showed that the gap between job postings and job searches was most stark for roles in cybersecurity. From July 2016 to July 2018, growth in job searches for cybersecurity was negligible, despite job postings growing by over 500%.
Recent high-profile cybersecurity headlines in Singapore, as well as an overall push by the government has led to an increasing demand for cybersecurity talent.
Interest in machine learning and data analytics struggling to keep up with demand
There is increasing interest in machine learning and data analytics jobs in Singapore with searches for machine learning related roles increasing by 139% over two years. Jobseeker interest in data analytics is also on the rise, though at a much slower pace (48% growth).
However, during the two years analyzed, the number of job postings in these areas grew exponentially. The number of roles in machine learning grew by more than 300% while data analytics was the fastest growing of the four fields analyzed, recording a whopping 700% increase in job postings.
The stark difference between the growing demand from employers and actual jobseeker interest thus suggests how recruiters in the two fields are struggling the most to fill the roles.
Gap in robotics slowly closing
At only 30%, growth in robotics jobs postings was not as steep as other industries analyzed. That said, jobseeker interest in robotics recorded the highest growth (64%), showing that the talent gap in robotics is closing.
“We analyzed data for cybersecurity, machine learning, data analytics and robotics due to their massive potential to be a disruptor of business,” said Andrew McGlinchey, senior director at Indeed Asia Pacific.
“The demand for talent in these areas is currently going unfulfilled as evidenced by the lack of interest from jobseekers. Businesses and the government should make every effort they can to encourage talent in these areas and grow a diverse technology talent pool so that Singapore can continue to progress as a technology leader in ASEAN.”
