The ICT sector is solidifying as one of the main magnets for young talent in Spain’s economy. Young professionals under 30 are disproportionately represented in it and they find skilled, well-paying jobs with clear prospects. This is reflected in the new thematic report from the ICT Monitor, produced by the VASS Foundation and the Center for Economic Forecasting.
Nearly one in four employed people are under 30
People aged 20 to 29 account for 23% of ICT employment, nine percentage points higher than in the overall economy, where they make up 14%. In absolute terms, the sector employs roughly 186,000 people in that age group. The gap persists for ages 30 to 39, a cohort that concentrates 34% of ICT employment versus 25% of the total.
The result paints a reasonably young sector with proven ability to bring in talent early, a distinguishing feature in an aging labor market and one of the reasons behind its dynamism.
What do companies want from young talent
In a rapidly evolving environment, the most valued competencies are the ability to work with others and to adapt to contexts of uncertainty. Cooperation and teamwork lead the ranking (39.6%), followed by responsibility and a sense of duty (28.3%), keeping commitments, sustaining effort, and acting with professional judgment.
This growing share of human skills responds to a long-term trend: they contribute 45.3% of the capabilities that feed digital technical talent, six percentage points more than in 2018. The technical foundation remains essential, but advances in artificial intelligence and automation make skills that cannot be replicated by software even more decisive. Not surprisingly, 67.9% of companies consider hiring young talent in technical roles essential or relevant.
A well-paid job, with the challenge of breaking into the field
The sector’s appeal is also remunerative. The average monthly salary stood at €3,784.86 in the second quarter of 2026, 53.8% above the services average (€2,460.79) and 5.4% above the manufacturing/industry average (€3,590.52). Compared with the median value of the benchmark sample (€2,633), ICT remuneration is about 43.7% higher.
However, the report cautions that a young sector does not eliminate the challenges of accessing first employment. The transition from training to technical roles still depends on practical experience, ongoing knowledge updating, and entry opportunities that turn potential into a career path. Supporting that first onboarding, especially for young people, women, and people with disabilities, is key to keeping the sector fueled with talent.
In the words of Antonio Rueda, director of the VASS Foundation and head of the ICT Monitor, “the ICT sector has, in recent years, been one of the main magnets for young talent in our economy: it offers skilled, well-paid work with prospects. The challenge now is to support that entry, because the transition from education to the first job still depends on practical experience and real access opportunities. It is essential to help young people sharpen both their technical foundation and the human skills that today differentiate. That is where the sector bets a large part of its future.”
