Dive Brief:
IT positions across the economy fell by about 29,000 in March, according to a CompTIA analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data published on April 4, 2025. This decline comes amid rising business uncertainty. Despite this contraction, nearly half a million tech job postings remain open, indicating a persistent demand for talent.
IT unemployment also dipped last month to 3.1%, down from 3.3% in February, while national unemployment rose slightly to 4.2%. Tim Herbert, chief research officer at CompTIA, noted, “With many employers in wait-and-see mode, the jobs data is about in line with expectations for the month.”
Dive Insight:
IT leaders are currently facing a significant mismatch between the availability of in-demand skills and the projects their organizations need to deliver. AI and cybersecurity roles are particularly sought after, but access to these skills is increasingly challenging. More than 3 in 5 executives reported that the tech talent crunch has worsened over the past year, according to data from Robert Half.
In addition to talent availability issues, ongoing global trade disputes are adding to economic anxieties. Following recent tariff announcements from the Trump administration, economist Cory Stahle remarked that the residual confidence that supported the labor market through the first quarter has significantly diminished. Economic pressures may now shift the focus onto enterprise technology projects that drive value, especially for costly initiatives like AI implementations. In fact, less than half of IT decision-makers indicated that their AI projects were profitable last year, according to an IBM-commissioned report.
Image Source: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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