Microsoft: IT job availability to grow more quickly than entire market over next 4 years

The number of IT jobs available will expand at a rate three times faster than the entire jobs market over the course of the next four years, according to computing giant Microsoft.

Figures from professional services provider KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) show demand for permanent IT staff rose by 3.4 per cent between August and September this year.

In addition, Microsoft forecasts that spending on IT will surge to £180 billion over the next four years, resulting in substantial growth in the number of IT jobs on the market.

Stephen Uden, head of skills and economic affairs at Microsoft, said: "That spending growth means that employment in the IT industry and of IT professionals in IT-using organisations will rise by 5.8 million jobs in the four years from the end of 2009 to the end of 2013."

Increased spending in IT could enable more companies to use VoIP solutions to improve their communications, while technology such as videoconferencing could also become more widespread.

The demand for contract staff also rose by 3.4 per cent between August and September of this year, according to figures from the REC and KPMG.