Job index shows big increase in demand for IT workers

Spike in demand for permanent IT staff

This month's KPMG and Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) report on jobs shows that IT and computing workers are the most sought after of eight sector verticals including hotel and catering and executive/professional.

The report also states that there was growth across all eight categories of permanent staff monitored by the survey in March.

This follows a series of positive reports on the IT jobs market including a Financial Times report stating that nearly half of IT directors are proposing to boost headcount in 2010.

Demand for IT and computing workers increased significantly on the previous month. Using the REC’s diffusion indices – whereby a reading of 50 indicates no change on the previous month, more than 50 shows greater demand and below 50, reduced demand – the reading for demand for permanent IT and computing staff in March was 65.1.

There was also an increase in demand for temporary IT and computing staff at 59.9, but the increase was not as strong as that for permanent staff. It was the second most in-demand temporary vertical after secretarial and clerical staff.

Skills and roles most in demand by employers looking for permanent IT staff included Microsoft Sharepoint, analysts, software sales, developers and technical managers.

On the temporary side, employers also said they were looking for staff with MS Sharepoint skills.