Demand for secure software talent sits inside a wider squeeze on cyber skills. There are approximately 143,000 individuals in the UK cyber security workforce, with growth moderately accelerating from 2% in 2022 to 5% in 2024 Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2025 - GOV.UK. That is steady progress, but it still trails the pace at which defence and security programmes are expanding their need for people who can build and defend systems.
The hiring picture stays tight at the sharp end. A comparison with the Cyber Security Skills 2024 report showed 70% of cyber firms reported at least one hard-to-fill vacancy AI Labour Market Survey 2025 (Gardiner & Theobald), GOV.UK / publishing.service.gov.uk. For defence and security teams, those hard-to-fill roles are often the most sensitive: the people writing secure code and protecting critical systems.
The specialisms in highest demand cluster around a handful of areas. Against a subdued 2025 economic backdrop, businesses took a cautious approach to hiring but there were demand hotspots for specialist tech skills including AI, data, enterprise applications and cyber security Computer Weekly (tech recruitment outlook 2026). In defence and security, those same hotspots show up in open roles again and again.
When teams write a secure software job description, they tend to name:
These skills are scarce precisely because they are hard to fill, which is why defence and security teams compete for the same small pool of people.
Start with clarity. Name the two or three secure software skills that genuinely matter for the role, and separate them from nice-to-haves. With 70% of cyber firms reporting at least one hard-to-fill vacancy AI Labour Market Survey 2025 (Gardiner & Theobald), GOV.UK / publishing.service.gov.uk, a tight, honest brief helps you reach the right people faster and stops good applicants self-selecting out.
Then move quickly. Specialist skills like AI, data, enterprise applications and cyber security are in high demand Computer Weekly (tech recruitment outlook 2026), so the people you want rarely stay on the market long. Shortlist on evidence of secure engineering, screen for clearance eligibility early, and keep your interview process short and respectful of their time.
Finally, think about the whole workforce, not one hire. With the UK cyber security workforce at roughly 143,000 individuals Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2025 - GOV.UK, building routes for people to grow into secure software roles matters as much as competing for finished talent.
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