What regions have we surveyed
We surveyed 1,216 technologists and tech leaders in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as HR/L&D Directors from India and Australia, for our 2023 report. Here is the breakdown of results by region.
United States – 33%
United Kingdom – 33%
India – 17%
Australia – 17%
Digital Transformation by Region
We asked all tech team executives in each region if they were actively involved in a digital transition. Included in this were:
Cloud Transformation
DevOps Implementation
Data pipeline implementation
Architecture modernization
Agile Methodologies: Adoption
Comparatively, to EMEA or the US, APAC tech executives are more likely to say that their companies are actively involved in digital transformation. The COVID-19 Pandemic is probably to blame, as it accelerated growth across the region. 71% of APAC tech executives reported that their companies are actively involved in a large-scale digital transformation project. (This compares to 54% of all tech executives across the globe).
APAC organizations plan to invest more in upskilling
Leaders recognize that, with digital transformation at the forefront of most organizations, technologists must develop top-notch tech skills to keep pace with the rapid pace of change. Despite economic uncertainty, APAC tech team executives plan to invest more in developing technology skills.
This is significantly more than the regional average of 72%.
Some regions have more difficulty in upskilling their workforce
Top barriers to upgrading skills for executives in tech teams from all regions include
Budgetary constraints and costs
Employers who focus on hiring new talent rather than upgrading existing talent
Access to the required tools and training
APAC tech team leaders face more resistance than US tech team managers. This may be due to a couple of factors. COVID-19 has accelerated the growth of the region. Many organizations are now struggling to find or train technologists who have the necessary skills to keep pace with the rapid changes.
Second, according to a PwC survey, 42% of APAC workers are concerned that their employer will not teach them the necessary technology skills. Upskilling can be viewed as a quick fix rather than a long-term initiative. This makes it difficult to make a business case for the development of tech skills.
What are the top reasons that APAC, EMEA and US technologists give for upgrading their skills
EMEA techies are most motivated to acquire top-notch skills to improve their personal development (52%). A career change is the top motivator for APAC technologists (64%). For US technologists it is to increase their salary (64%).
Which region has the most confident technologists? APAC, EMEA or US
Different regions have different confidence levels in their technologists. We’ll see how they compare:
Software development
APAC technologists have significantly higher confidence in their skills of software development than their counterparts from the US and EMEA. 75% of APAC techies are confident or fairly confident about their software development abilities, compared to 54% EMEA and 57% US techies.
Blockchain
The blockchain could use some confidence boosts, particularly for those working in US companies and enterprises (companies that have more than 1,000 employees).
AI/ML
US technologists are significantly less confident about AI/ML compared to those in APAC and EMEA. APAC technologists (48%) have the highest level of confidence in AI/ML. EMEA technologists (38%) and US technologists (32%), respectively, are next.
What are the top skills for tech in APAC, EMEA and the US
A Gallup study found that 76% of APAC companies that hire workers with advanced digital skill levels report revenues 150% higher than organizations who employ workers with basic skills. APAC organisations are looking to increase their ROI and accelerate digital transformation. They want their technologists to develop the top tech skill sets needed to get them there.
Data Science
APAC tech managers ask their employees more often to upgrade in data science than do those in the US and EMEA.
AI/ML
A third of APAC techies would prioritise learning AI/ML if they were given paid time for it. APAC tech managers also ask their employees to upgrade in AI/ML at a higher rate (25%), compared to the US and EMEA.
Cybersecurity
APAC technologists are more likely than EMEA and US respondents to choose cybersecurity as their priority if they were given paid time during the week to learn.
What certifications do technologists study for
Data science and cloud are the top two tech skills certifications APAC technologists currently study for.
Pay for learning time in APAC and EMEA as well as the US
US technologists have the greatest availability to learn outside work hours. Technologists in APAC report spending more time learning new skills outside of regular working hours than those in EMEA and EMEA. Technologists need to be able to spend time learning on their own.
