Now running for its fourth year, the Tech Cities Job Watch report provides employers with an indicator of hiring demand and salaries for IT jobs within the UK tech sector.

It puts a spotlight on the emerging opportunities and challenges businesses face in 10 UK Cities that have or are rapidly developing reputations as technology cluster hubs - London, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne.

The report focuses on five key disciplines: Big Data, Cloud, IT Security, Mobile and Web Development, with each quarter focusing on a specific theme. This quarter we're taking a closer look at IT Security, and explore the complex cyber security landscape. With hacks and security breaches on the rise, businesses could be vulnerable to more cyber attacks; whilst budget cuts and the introduction of IR35 may be creating an imbalance in the supply and remuneration in the industry.

Highlights from the Q4 2017 report reveal that:

• Demand for new permanent IT Security skills dropped in Q4 2017, following a surge of 53% in the same period the previous year, but salaries increased by 4% year-on-year
• The average salary for an IT Security role (60,004) remains much lower than the likes of a Big Data Specialist (£70,945)
• Despite day rates dropping by 13%, demand for IT Security contractors increased by 24% year-on-year

To download this free report, simply complete the form and click ‘Download now’.