UK needs manual skills: IT and communication
UK needs manual skills: IT and communication stood at 1% in Jul 2026, according to ONS — Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS). It is one of the indicators in the Workforce pressures (BICS) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Aug 2021 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Workforce pressures (BICS) table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 04-2026 | 01-2026 | 10-2025 | 07-2025 | 04-2025 | 01-2025 | 07-2024 | 04-2024 | 01-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needs training: manual skills | |||||||||||
| Information & communication | 1 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | ||||
| Real estate activities | 4 | 3.8 | 9.4 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 8.7 | 4.4 | 6.8 |
Understanding UK needs manual skills: IT and communication
Information and communication enterprises throughout the United Kingdom track the proportion of businesses identifying internal requirements for manual skills training. This digital and media sector measure isolates physical infrastructure tasks, hardware deployment, cable installation, and equipment maintenance proficiencies, distinguishing its practical training needs from software development, data analysis, and corporate management. The calculation tallies technology and communications firms reporting physical skill gaps that affect operational delivery, omitting programming and administrative functions.
Interpreting this technology-sector series requires distinguishing physical infrastructure constraints from software or digital skill shortages, which follow entirely different economic drivers. Analysts should evaluate consecutive monthly results to identify genuine shifts in hardware-related training needs, bearing in mind that initial estimates are provisional and subject to subsequent revision. Comparing this specialised metric with manual-heavy sectors highlights the unique ways physical engineering tasks manifest within a predominantly digital industry.
Frequently asked questions
- Why would an IT and communication firm report manual skill needs?
- The sector includes physical infrastructure work such as server installation, network cabling, and hardware maintenance alongside software development.
- Does this series measure programming or software engineering shortages?
- No, it exclusively tracks hands-on technical tasks and hardware handling rather than coding capabilities.
- How do early estimates in this sector typically behave?
- Provisional figures are adjusted as late survey returns from telecommunications and IT businesses are processed in subsequent publications.