Dive Brief:

• IT unemployment rose nearly a half percentage point in February to 3.3%, the highest it's been since August 2024, according to a CompTIA review of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data published Friday. The national unemployment rate also rose last month, reaching 4.1%.
• Employers added an estimated 177,000 tech positions across all industries last month, according to CompTIA data. Nearly a half million job postings for technology roles remain active.
• "Unusual swings in the tech unemployment rate are rarely attributed to a single factor, but rather, a combination of interrelated factors," said Tim Herbert, chief research officer at CompTIA, in an email. "For the recent month’s increase, there is undoubtedly a market turmoil effect. With many companies taking a wait-and-see approach with uncertainty, increases in hiring pauses could leave potential tech hires waiting."

Dive Insight:

CIOs are tracking shifts in the tech talent market, with modernization plans hinging on the ability to secure necessary skills. An undersupply of high-demand skills, including AI and data science, is shaping enterprise talent strategies

AI is also affecting how employers approach overall hiring. Active job listings that reference AI skills more than doubled year over year in February, CompTIA found. Demand for dedicated AI roles also jumped 79% year over year last month.

Generative AI job postings, although still a small sliver of the overall tech job market, nearly tripled year-over-year according to Indeed data. The technology is giving way to a rise in management consulting roles, which Indeed attributed in part to the need for more support in enterprise adoption. 

Companies continue to hone their 2025 technology strategies while leaders grapple with uncertainty regarding the optimal mix of job roles and skills, Herbert said.

"AI hiring continues to ramp up, but that is only one of many moving parts CIOs must balance," Herbert said. "Skills gaps, shortages and mismatches will be a factor in some portion of layoffs and the pace of rehires."

As organizations compete for high–demand tech talent, CIOs are turning their attention to upskilling and reskilling efforts.