The number of web developer jobs continues to rise by 3% every year as society continues to immerse itself in technology and the World Wide Web.
At this rate the number of web developer jobs will have risen 22% by the year 2020. And who knows how integral to our everyday lives the internet will be by then?
But what has caused this steady rise?
Well a number of factors, starting with the global recession in 2009.
2010: decade of the web developer
As the economy began to shrink, businesses were keen to invest in the internet as a new, untapped source of revenue and with a rapidly growing market behind it, they employed thousands of web developers to begin working on websites in anticipation.
The number of web developer roles spiked 12% by 2010 and has been growing steadily ever since.
Once society had overcome the fear of shopping online, had become accustomed to using search engines and the social networks exploded into our everyday lives, the internet changed the face of business and consumerism forever.
Then the rise of Smartphones, social networks, internet speeds and digital connectivity changed the lifestyle of the average person even more. And in doing so, challenged businesses to keep up with constant changes in consumer behaviour.
And that’s where web developers come into the equation.
Exodus to the web
As consumer living standards continue to tighten and business overheads continue to rise, there’s a constantly exodus to the internet – a place where products are cheaper for consumers and overheads are lower for companies.
Any business that doesn’t migrate will be left behind by its customers.
HMV and Blockbusters will go down in history as two market leaders who didn’t move with the times as cheaper online retailers, music downloads and movie streaming made their traditional business models outdated.
Meanwhile high street sales continue to shrink while online sales soar even more each year. So while the high street will never become obsolete (stores will most likely become show rooms), businesses that rely on physical stores will continue to struggle with shrinking sales and rising overheads.
It really is no wonder then that consumers and businesses are moving to the internet’s greener pastures.
Web developer jobs for the next generation
But with so much business now connected to the internet, the demand for web developer jobs will continue to rise, creating new career opportunities for the next generation.
Many groups are already promoting programming as a skill in schools. For example Code.org is a non-profit foundation dedicated to growing computer programming education, with the slogan “Anyone Can Learn”.
Endorsed by people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Will.i.am as well as many other celebrities and industry leaders, Code.org encourages young people to learn online and for teachers to bring code into their class room.
And it’s all because we need to teach people how to code now to meet the demand for developers in the years ahead.
This means that web development is a safe career path to choose, with a bright future ahead of it, as everyday life becomes more and more immersed in the internet.
In the meantime, www.webdeveloperjobs.co.uk will continue to provide all the online resources you need to find the best web developer jobs for your skill set.