US tech industry loses 115,000 jobs in H1

WASHINGTON, USA: The U.S. technology industry cut 115,000 jobs in the first half of 2009, compared to the 72,900 tech jobs added in the same period in 2008. This is 1.9 per cent of the workforce in the sector, according to a study by TechAmerica Foundation. The study said the overall job loss in the US is more than 5 per cent.

From June 2008 through June 2009, tech lost 224,100 jobs, a 3.7 per cent decline; the U.S. private sector shed jobs at a higher pace – 5.1 per cent.

It also said high-tech manufacturing continues to shed U.S. jobs – 69,500 from January to June 2009. The high-tech services sectors shed 45,500 U.S. jobs from January to June 2009, a one per cent drop.

The Washington, D.C.-based non-profit foundation said all three services sectors saw losses for the first time in the five-year history of this report: engineering and tech services lost 21,500 jobs, while communications services shed 13,600 jobs. The job loss in software services was 10,400.

As of June 2009, the industry employed some 5.81 million workers, a decline of 224,100 jobs (3.7 percent) since June 2008, the report added.

“The tech industry has suffered the full force of the global economic recession in the first half of this year, yet we believe it has weathered the storm better than most,” TechAmerica Foundation president Christopher Hansen said.

“Given that technology is an important economic driver, long-term investments and globally competitive tax policies are critical for encouraging technology companies to form and flourish in the U.S and add new American jobs.”

The data, however, shows that the scenario is improving.