Rate of IT employment growth continues to decelerate

ALEXANDRIA, USA: The number of IT jobs grew 0.03 percent sequentially last month to 4,521,400, according to TechServe Alliance, the national trade association of the IT and Engineering staffing and solutions industry. On a year-over-year basis, IT employment has grown by 4.56 percent since December 2012 adding 197,100 IT workers.

Engineering jobs grew once again in December, up 0.13 percent sequentially last month to 2,479,300. On a year-over-year basis, engineering employment has grown by 1.39 percent since December 2012 adding 33,900 engineering workers.

"While IT employment grew almost three times the rate of the overall job market last year, the rate of growth decelerated throughout 2013. On the engineering side, the pattern of modest though irregular growth continued in December," said Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance.

"When you look at the recently released jobs report which underwhelmed nearly everyone, it is hard to be too disappointed in the IT and engineering employment picture in 2013. While employers clearly exhibited more caution in the latter half of last year, there are signs that the rate of growth of IT and engineering employment should strengthen as 2014 unfolds," added Roberts.