More than half of new UK IT jobs (58 per cent) are for software developers and support personnel, countering concerns that such positions are being too frequently offshored, according to research.

A study by IT staffing firm ReThink Recruitment says jobs for software developers represent the largest single category of new IT positions (34 per cent),

while 24 per cent of new IT jobs are for support staff.

Separate figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the IT workforce has grown by 20 per cent over the past five years, from 479,000 in 1999 to 573,000 in 2004, the most recent year for which figures are available.

‘There is no compelling evidence that low-cost competition from countries such as India is harming the creation of IT jobs in the UK, at least not on the scale predicted,’ said Jon Butterfield, director of ReThink Recruitment.

Outsourcing expert Mark Kobayashi-Hillary says the threat to jobs is real, but will take time to take effect because the UK IT industry is buoyant.

‘Jobs won’t vanish to India or China overnight,’ he said. ‘Over the long-term, however, certain sectors will go offshore.’

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Further reading:

UK drives further outsourcing growth
Lloyds TSB offshores invoice processing