By Daniel Hunter

The total number of tech jobs advertised across the UK grew by 9% in the first three months of 2015, with permanent roles increasing by 18%, according to the latest Tech Cities Job Watch, a survey from professional resourcing specialist, Experis.

The report analyses over 59,000 tech jobs in the UK. It reveals a strong upward trend in tech hiring demand in key areas across the UK’s ‘Tech Cities’.

Geoff Smith, Managing Director, Experis Europe, said: “Q1 is commonly when companies release their annual recruitment budgets. This, combined with growing economic confidence for the coming year, has likely contributed to growth in permanent recruitment activity.

“Across the UK’s Tech Cities, a greater take-up of Cloud and ecommerce services has also increased security requirements. High profile cybercrime events over the past year have illustrated the severe brand and material damage that can hit under-prepared companies. This has put security hiring high on the radar.”

Adverts for security roles in London increased to 6,396, 32% higher than Q4 2014, and grew twice as fast in Tech Cities, rising 65% to 1,861 roles advertised.

Cloud specialists were also in high demand, with 8,257 roles advertised during the period, an increase of 23% since last quarter. Notably, cloud roles grew 13% faster in the UK’s ‘Tech Cities’ outside London, with Cambridge, Bristol and Manchester showing the strongest demand. Cloud roles offered in the City of Cambridge offered the highest salaries, at an average of £50,034.

The average advertised tech permanent salary increased slightly (3%) to £48,820 across tech disciplines. Big Data roles paid the highest average salary out of the five technology disciplines covered in the report.

Mr Smith added: "With the General Election only a week away, all parties have stressed the need to place tech education and skills development much higher up the agenda. Our report highlights that demand for specialist IT and tech roles continues to be very strong, and is growing not just in London but across the country. Putting policies in place which help to meet the growing demand for skilled workers across the UK’s Tech Cities should be a priority for whichever party or coalition of parties form a government next month.”