Demand for IT helpdesk staff has increased 45 per cent compared to this time last year, according to new figures.

A survey by online IT recruitment company The Job Board also found demand for IT project managers rose 35 per cent in the same period.

The need for helpdesk roles is positive for graduates and junior candidates as they provide a launch platform for their IT careers, said IT Job Board operations manager Adam Stokes.

“And a growth in the demand for project managers is usually an indication of growth in new projects being scheduled that need recruiting for,” said Stokes.

But it is not all good news, as the number of developer roles only increased slightly at 10 per cent.

Relative inactivity in the developer market may suggest the apparent increase in IT projects is due to a cyclical process whereby IT systems simply need replacing.

New versions of Microsoft Windows and Oracle have resulted in support for legacy versions being discontinued which may have a bearing on the figures, said Stokes.

ERP and CRM skills demand have stayed the same year on year, with more than 7000 positions currently being advertised.