The IT unemployment rate jumped in January as artificial intelligence hit white collar tech jobs and tech companies enacted layoffs, according to The Wall Street Journal. But many health system IT teams are still hiring.
Five quick statistics to illustrate the IT employment landscape:
1. IT unemployment hit 5.7% in January, up from 3.9% in December. The average unemployment rate was 4% across all sectors, according to the report.
2. Last month, 152,000 IT workers were unemployed.
3. The job postings on Indeed.com for software development dropped 8.5% in January.
4. Meta announced layoff plans last month to cut 4% of its workforce.
5. Workday reported plans in early February to cut 8.5% of its workforce.
Companies are eliminating tech jobs, including programmers and systems designers, and relying more on AI for these functions, according to The Journal. Companies are also cutting spending, and many tech jobs command high salaries.
The trend could be a boon for hospitals and health systems seeking IT talent. Healthcare providers aren't always able to offer the top salaries IT professionals, but they have a vital need for additional strength on their technology teams.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., has 24 IT roles open, including a senior AI-ML engineer. New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health has 23 IT jobs open including a site chief clinical information officer and multiple analyst roles.
As hospitals add more digital capabilities, AI-driven platforms and cybersecurity defenses, they're searching for talented individuals to support their mission. James Forrester, chief technology officer at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center, said his role has evolved from a technology leader to a talent leader as his system bulks up the team.
"I often quip that 'CTO' stands for 'chief talent officer.' Certainly I need to stay current on technology and architecture, but I really start with talent. We've had a strong focus on talent for the last few years in particular, focused on acquiring and retaining talent and building talent pipelines within the organization," he told Becker's.