The report applies the Dynamic Mapping methodology previously used to classify the UK’s Creative Industries to classify the Information Economy of the UK.

As part of the research, a consultation exercise was undertaken to identify occupations that were generally regarded as ICT occupations in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). The resulting list of ICT occupations was then used to identify industries that have a particularly high proportion of ICT occupations in them: Information Economy Industries.

Using the results of this analysis, the report produces estimates of employment in ICT occupations, Information Economy Industries and the Information Economy (employment in Information Economy Industries and in ICT occupations in other industries). The report compares the resulting findings with previous ICT industry classifications produced by BIS and the Tech Partnership (formerly e-skills) and finds they are generally consistent.

Key findings

• The total size of the Information Economy workforce is 1,529,000, some five per cent of the UK economy workforce.
   

• The Information Economy is made up of 899,000 workers within the Information Economy Industries (59 per cent) and 630,000 ICT-related occupational employment in non-ICT industries (41 per cent).
   

• The application of the Dynamic Mapping Methodology to the Information Economy results in a set of industries identified as being particularly intensive employers of ICT professionals. These industries are broadly consistent with those previously classified as Information Industries by BIS and the Tech Partnership (formerly e-skills).

Policy recommendations

There should be further work on alternative big data classifications of activity in the information economy. This kind of work should perhaps be seen as consolidating the current official classification leaving the sector better placed to engage with the ONS when it reviews the SOC and SIC codes in the future.

This report was first published on 11 September 2015, on techuk.org