Demand for IT jobs up by 6.8 per cent in 2005

The IT jobs market has increased in size by 6.8 per cent during 2005, according to leading IT recruitment website CWJobs.co.uk. However, the year did not end on such a high note with demand for IT staff falling by 1.0 per cent during the last quarter of 2005.

Figures compiled for CWJobs.co.uk by pay research company SSL show that the number of IT jobs advertised fell in the last quarter of 2005. This is likely to be the result of December being particularly weak. Early indications are that demand has picked up again during the first few weeks of January 2006.

The benchmark job function within IT is for software developers. These make up 31% of all IT jobs advertised. Network people were the main winners with demand for their services up by 11.3%. This contrasts with a fall of 5.9% for support personnel, the area most vulnerable to offshoring.

Contract vacancies were up by 5.8% from the start of 2005, but like their permanent colleagues saw demand tailing off at the end of the year. For the first time since 2003 the number of contract jobs in finance fell. Down by 4.7% over the last two quarters of 2005.

For further information, key trends and the full survey please contact: Susan Tremain at susan.tremain@totaljobsgroup.com