Demand for Software Developers Increases as Digital Careers Remain Attractive

An IT Skills report revealed by the Nairobi Tech Week launched on April 24 has shown that jobs for software developers are high in demand in the country, with more than 50 percent of job postings being in the mid-level employment category.

“Only two percent job postings are looking to employ entry-level candidates,” said the report by Mercy Corps and Moringa School.

The report says that the most popular careers now in Kenya and Uganda require digital skills as the sector remains attractive. However, there is a shortage of IT professionals, which is expected to grow over the next few years.

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According to the report, in three years time, Kenya’s ICT sector will be valued at 172.6 billion shillings (approximately 1.7 billion US dollars), while Uganda’s will stand at 131.89 billion shillings (1.3 billion dollars).

“The report will help IT professionals understand trends in skills demand, and employers understand and appreciate tech’s role in their businesses,” Stacey Ondimu, Moringa School country director said.

The survey examines the already existing skills amongst IT professionals and relates them to the ones demanded by local and international employers, today and in the future.

The findings are based on interviews with employers, educators, IT professionals, and entrepreneurs, and incorporates market forecasting.

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According to the report, close to 50 percent of IT-related job postings in Uganda were for administrative IT roles. Only 13 percent were for software developers.

The stakeholders who participated in the report simultaneously affirmed that the current formal educational system is a major contributing factor.

For instance, in Kenya, 40 percent of the respondents said that they resort to learning IT skills by themselves, while many Ugandans take online IT courses offered by international training and certification providers to increase their chances of employment.

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The number of IT professionals in employment in Kenya is expected to grow to 95,000 by 2022 from 57,000 in 2017. In Uganda, over the same period, the figures will grow from 28,500 to 43,400.