Demand for tech learning in the UK keeps rising as people invest more time in training that links directly to paid work, and research published by Fasthosts used average monthly UK search data from Semrush to track how often people look for courses tied to careers and skills.
The data measures learning intent as opposed to recruitment activity, but it shows exactly what people want to study. Searches favour roles linked to digital systems, online sales and project delivery, all areas tied to everyday business needs.
According to Semrush data cited by Fasthosts, IT courses record 74,090 average monthly searches. Digital marketing follows with 67,180, while project management reaches 65,670. These numbers point to interest in jobs that mix technical understanding with planning and coordination.
Creative learning also holds attention as Graphic design courses reach 34,590 searches each month. Web design, UX design and web development together attract more than 42,000 searches. The Fasthosts report notes that creative training continues alongside coding and data skills.
The report says, “UK learners are upskilling at an all time high.” It adds that people are “proactively equipping themselves with the tools needed to succeed in a digital first economy,” linking search behaviour to career ambition rather than casual browsing.
Which Tech Careers Attract The Most Searches?
Search interest clusters around job titles that employers already recognise. Using Semrush data, the Fasthosts study ranks the most searched courses linked to careers…
• IT course at 74,090 searches
• Digital marketing course at 67,180
• Project manager course at 65,670
• Graphic design course at 34,590
• Software engineer course at 32,530
• Data analyst course at 20,890
• Machine learning engineer course at 17,240
• Web designer course at 16,160
• UX designer course at 13,670
• Product manager course at 13,000
Further down the ranking, development and automation roles continue to attract attention. Web developer courses record 12,360 searches, business analyst courses 11,160 and automation engineer courses 10,790. Cybersecurity courses reach 8,870, while UI designer courses stand at 7,440.
The report explains that these searches reflect career direction. It says the data shows “the desired career trajectories which they are actively training for,” framing course searches as long term choices rather than short term interest.
Creative roles appear across the list, which suggests visual and user focused skills continue to hold value together with data and automation training.
Which Skills Are Most In Demand?
Skill based searches exceed those linked to job titles. AI courses lead the ranking with 127,790 average monthly searches, based on Semrush data shared by Fasthosts. Excel follows with 79,550, then coding with 56,770 and Python with 54,640.
The full skills ranking shows technical, business and data tools…
• AI course at 127,790 searches
• Excel course at 79,550
• Coding course at 56,770
• Python course at 54,640
• Bookkeeping course at 37,860
• SEO course at 32,370
• Xero course at 25,590
• Power BI course at 19,120
• SQL course at 17,410
• Machine learning course at 17,240
Programming languages also record steady interest. C++ courses reach 15,500 searches, UX design courses 13,670 and AWS courses 12,950. Automation courses stand at 10,790, while Java courses reach 10,130.
“There has been some uncertainty around a career in tech in recent years due to industry news around large-scale lay-offs, and it’s still unclear just how much Artificial Intelligence will take over in the coming years. But one thing that is clear, is that a career in tech is still a much desired career path.” says Carys Pickerill, Talent Acquisition Partner at Fasthosts
“Like with most sectors, the job market is tough. Many of us are competing for the same roles, and unfortunately university degrees and direct experience may no longer be enough. The entry level for tech roles has definitely gotten steeper in recent years, leaving candidates no option but to upskill and diversify their skill sets.“
“Online courses can be a great way to add a few more notches to your belt, and with online education more accessible than ever, it’s encouraging to see how proactive people are in continuous learning. But learning means little without practical application. Many are applying their online skills to personal projects, whether that’s developing a small business or building their own programmes at home, and potential candidates are increasingly applying themselves to actionable and measurable projects that will make them stand out to employers.”
“A career in tech can be incredibly rewarding, offering countless opportunities for advancement, exciting projects, and the chance to make the most of our numerical, analytical, and creative skills.”
“But more than anything else, this data reflects how crucial digital literacy skills are in today’s workplace and how many of us are embracing ongoing education to keep up with the pace of artificial intelligence and a rapidly changing digital economy.”
