University Computing departments see record applicant numbers as AI hits mainstream

The popularity of computing degrees is growing faster than for any other course, with students applying in record numbers this year, according to new figures.

The number of young people in the UK hoping to study computing in 2023 has risen by 9.6 per cent, more than for all other university subjects, analysis by Swindon-based BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT found.

The rise was likely to be down the high profile of AI, combined with the range of career options for UK computing graduates, like cyber security and climate change data science, BCS said.

Computing degrees have also seen an 18 per cent growth in applications from women in the UK hoping to start courses in 2023, BCS’ analysis of January deadline data from UCAS found.

Male students still outnumber female students in computer science by 3.8 to 1 this year, but the gap has closed slightly.

Do your staff love where they work?

What does your company o er sta that others don’t? Funky o ces? Hybrid working? Health insurance? Duvet days? Paid opportunities for community work or is it simply a good salary and pension that employees are demanding?

Most of us will spend around a third of our lives at work, so if you are lucky enough to enjoy job satisfaction and the recognition of your employer, then you’re likely to be happier and healthier in other areas of your life.

The employment landscape took a battering during the pandemic. While the government’s furlough scheme saved thousands of careers, with Covid (hopefully) now largely behind us, it’s easy to forget how worried we all were about our jobs.

The upshot of all this appears to be a new phenomenon: the great resignation. When the world began to open up, many workers decided that they no longer had to accept a return to the previous status quo. Some quit their jobs, others refuse to return to work full-time.

Last year research from the Chartered Institute for Professional Development (CIPD) revealed that more than 6.5 million people in the UK expected to quit their jobs in the next 12 months, with those reporting the poorest job quality the most likely to have itchy feet. While most, worried by rising living costs, want better pay and benefits, many are also looking for increased job satisfaction and better worklife balance.

Are companies responding? At the annual January corporate beanfeast that is Davos, it was reported that many companies want their sta back in the o ce. Work from home is so last year. It’s back to the o ce, they say, because productivity is tanking.

Research by LinkedIn revealed that improving employee retention and supporting career development are among global leaders’ top five business priorities over the next six months. If that’s the case, surely bosses will have to accept compromise on how and where their valued sta are prepared to work?

The LinkedIn research revealed that helping employees transform their careers as their interests shift – instead of keeping people in rigid pathways – will make it easier to keep talent. Research shows the positive impact of helping people explore new roles: employees who have moved around internally have a 64 per cent chance of staying with the organisation after three years; the percentage lowers to 45 per cent for those who haven’t moved. Providing flexible career paths creates a workforce that is more adaptable to the changing external environment as well, Linkedin says.

For 2023 we went hunting for businesses which are really investing in their sta .

Great places to work - Our criteria for inclusion

Businesses in this years listing will have their head o ce, or a large proportion of sta , based in the region this magazine covers. They may have won a nationally recognised employers award or run an established and respected training scheme (including apprenticeship training). A business may also be included if it has been nominated and the nomination has been checked and verified by our editorial team, or has a dedicated and publicly-accessible area of its website which properly shows the company’s approach to employee support and career development, which may include case studies from employees.