RecruITing News – November 2024

Everything you ever wanted to know about the IT / Tech sector in Scotland, the North of England, Finland, Sweden, Thailand, any maybe some other places.

In November 2024 we now know the results of the US presidential election, the new UK government has revealed its first budget and closer to home the Cathcart team have been busy with tech conferences and much more!  

November’s edition of RecruITing News will investigate: 

• How may the employment market react to recent political events?  

• Why more and more companies looking to integrate AI capabilities into their products. 

• A Scottish firm creating a new skills academy for Cyber Security. 

• Cathcart current: tech conference, tearful goodbyes and new arrivals!  

Elections and budgets – whats the upshot?  

A lot has happened in Western politics since the last edition of RecruITing news, and we are (understandably) keen to explore how these events affect the wider employment market, and more specifically, companies hiring in technology. On October 30th, the new Labour government announced its first budget and it’s still heavily in the news almost a month on from its release. The big talking point from a staffing firm’s point of view (sorry farmers!) is the increase in Employers NI alongside the reduction to the threshold at which point employers start to pay NI. We explored how this could potentially be spun positively in a LinkedIn post earlier in the month (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7262493919920230400/?actorCompanyId=776247 ) but it’s hard to argue against this having a negative affect on job creation. The last 18 months have already been pretty tough in tech recruitment, and I think it’s safe to say that the budget won’t act as a catalyst to the upside.  

There was an election across the pond as well…maybe you didn’t notice!? Love him or hate him, Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States of America. How is it going to affect the world of technology? I think American firms will be reasonably happy based on Trump’s approach to tariffs and it could be argued that deregulation could remove barriers allowing private companies to gain investment and grow rapidly. It sounds like employees of government departments may not be so fortunate on the other hand…  

The Future of Scottish Cybersecurity with Jera IT  

Jera IT, a leader in cybersecurity innovation, is shaping the future of Scotland’s digital defences. As businesses face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, Jera IT advocates a proactive approach. This includes comprehensive employee training, advanced technology solutions, and building resilient systems to safeguard operations. 

Additionally, Jera IT are setting up an IT academy to help train the next generation of Cyber Security professionals. This is currently offered as a foundation apprenticeship, but the company has plans to expand the offering through other avenues. There have been many organisations set up to help cross-train people into the IT industry as we sorely need the talent in some areas – we sincerely hope this initiative is successful for Jera IT! 

For further insights, and to learn how you can apply to the academy, read the full article here. 

Big Companies Embrace AI: Transforming Products and Services 

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries, major companies are racing to integrate AI offerings into their products, aiming to enhance functionality, user experience, and efficiency. This wave of AI adoption spans sectors from automotive to enterprise software and consumer technology. 

In the automotive industry, companies like Volkswagen have integrated generative AI into their vehicles. By embedding ChatGPT into its IDA voice assistant, Volkswagen has enhanced user interaction, enabling conversational and context-aware vehicle commands. This marks a significant leap in merging AI with mobility, as automakers aim to provide smarter and more connected driving experiences. 

Tech giants such as Microsoft and Google are embedding AI capabilities into productivity tools. Microsoft’s integration of Copilot, powered by OpenAI’s GPT technology, into applications like Word and Excel enables features like automated content generation, summarization, and data analysis. Similarly, Google has enhanced its Workspace suite with generative AI for tasks like drafting emails, preparing presentations, and analysing data, catering to professionals’ evolving needs for efficiency. 

While integrating AI offers competitive advantages, companies face hurdles such as ethical considerations, data privacy concerns, and technological reliability. Balancing innovation with accountability is crucial as businesses navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. 

The race to incorporate AI reflects its potential to redefine product capabilities, making it a critical area of focus for companies striving to remain relevant and competitive in the digital age. As advancements accelerate, AI is set to become an indispensable component of the products and services we rely on daily. 

The Cathcart Current

The last month has been less frantic than the run into late October at Cathcart HQ, but there has still been plenty going on! On Thursday October 24th we attended and exhibited at the Digital Transformation Summit at Dynamic Earth. Our team had a great day and managed to speak with lots of interesting people hopefully leading to either helping them find a new hire or a new role!  

We also more recently attended/exhibited at Digit Expo on Thursday 21st November at the EICC. This event was very well attended, and our delegates reported more positive conversations with businesses looking to hire in the new year – hopefully a sign of better times to come! Our putting competition was as popular as ever (and a great ice breaker) and there are some prize winners to be announced soon!

October saw us bid farewell to long-serving employee Jack Steven. Jack had been with us five years, but he took a brave decision to move to Dubai and turn his hand at the tech recruitment marketplace out there. We are sure he will smash it and we thank him greatly for his service to the company over the five years he was with us. We organised a ‘leaving night’ for Jack after our monthly meeting in November and many a tear was shed after a few drinks. Bon Voyage, Jack!  

Sales Director Murray Simpson is currently on paternity leave as he and his wife welcomed their second baby during November. The ‘baby bubble’ is a very precious time and Murray is enjoying those memories with his young family – we can’t wait to have him back in December.