There is always something exciting happening in technology. Right now, if you’re lucky enough to have the skills suitable for a contractor role, you have the opportunity to contribute to world-changing projects.
Many countries have made the commitment to be at the forefront of technology and innovation. Take a look at some of the existing and emerging hotspots for these industries in 2022 and 2023.
South Africa
South Africa has one of Africa’s largest information and communications technology (ICT) markets. As shared by the International Trade Administration, this country shows technological leadership in the fields of mobile software, security software, and electronic banking.
The country’s ICT and electronics sector is an increasingly important contributor to its wealth. Major brands have subsidiaries, including IBM, Unisys, Microsoft, Intel, Systems Application Protocol (SAP), Dell, Novell, and Compaq.
A 2022 Business Report confirmed Cape Town is one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for foreign direct investment, with R13 billion being funneled into 61 software and ICT projects. Cape Town has become a hotbed for startups and is set to become even more popular now Amazon chose the location for its African headquarters.
As a contractor based in Africa, the rise of technology startups in the capital delivers some exciting opportunities. The startups to watch, as shared by startupstash.com, include:
- Fintech company Pineapple
- Omnisient
- Events platform Howler
- Finance startup Investsure
- ProfitShare Partners
- Darjyo
- Zaio
- Floatpays
Australia
Australia has dozens of fast-growing tech companies, amongst them the ‘unicorn’ Canva, which is an incredible success story. Software development firm Atlassian also makes its home ‘Down Under’ (it is currently valued at around USD 35 billion).
Australia’s Government is backing critical and emerging technologies to give Australia a clear competitive advantage, accelerate productivity growth and create well-paying jobs. The country has the goal of providing 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030. Considering how small the population is (around 25.8 million) and the fact one in ten working Australians has a job in construction, this talent will have to come from somewhere.
The 2022 IT Leaders Pulse Report reveals two-thirds (64 percent) of senior IT leaders in Australia say acquiring IT talent has never been harder. All respondents say attracting IT talent influences their organization’s technology investment choices.
The above creates an excellent environment to be a skilled contractor who is reliable and flexible. Many Australian companies employ contractors from around the world so they have people working around the clock.
United Kingdom
Bloomberg recently described the UK’s startup scene as “The liveliest of any European country.” In the areas of fintech and healthtech, Britain is said to already be ahead of other major financial centres like New York.
As one tech CEO explained, the UK has the ‘holy triangle’ of what startups need: capital, companies, and customers. London has hundreds of thousands of startups and 71 ‘unicorns’. The tech verticals to watch include fintech, healthtech, e-Commerce, and agtech.
Venture Capital investment into UK startups recently saw the biggest annual opening on record. In the first quarter of 2022, $11.3 billion was collectively raised, a huge jump from $7.9 billion the year before. This put the UK ahead of India and China for the first time and second for startup investment after the USA.
However, the UK has the same challenge as other countries; there were more than two million UK job vacancies in tech last year – more than any other labour area. The country is also exploring the option to hire contractors across a range of time zones.
Flexibility is key
If tech companies want to thrive, they need to take a modern approach to hiring and recruiting based on skills, not location. This has given way to the rise of the remote contractor, who can help startups and established companies keep up without the need for a long recruitment process or full-time commitment.
Acuity is collaborating with One Degree to help contract workers find work wherever they want it. Find out more here.