December IT Employment Growth Rate Slowest of 2016; Engineering Employment Growth Rate Remains Anemic

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The number of IT jobs grew 0.1 percent sequentially last month to 5,179,300, according to TechServe Alliance, the national trade association of the IT & Engineering Staffing and Solutions industry. On a year-over-year basis, IT employment grew by 2.4% since December 2016 adding 122,900 IT workers.

Engineering employment growth was barely perceptible increasing by only 0.02 percent sequentially to 2,543,100.  On a year-over-year basis, growth in engineering employment remained anemic increasing by only 0.7% since December 2015 or 20,500 engineering workers.

"While the overall rate of growth in IT employment has continued to decelerate throughout the year and reached its low ebb in December, there is reason to be optimistic that demand will increase in 2017," stated Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. "With many economists projecting more robust growth in GDP, we fully expect demand for IT and engineering talent to accelerate as 2017 unfolds.  However, we continue to be concerned with the rhetoric supporting more restrictive immigration policies for high skilled workers.  Given many IT occupations are effectively at full employment, the lack of an adequate domestic supply of IT and engineering talent may hinder job growth here causing companies to look for ways to outsource jobs overseas---a horrific outcome for everyone," observed Roberts.

For the complete January 2017  TechServe Alliance Employment Indices please visit: https://www.techservealliance.org/files/IndexReleaseJan2017MBR.pdf

About TechServe Alliance
TechServe Alliance is the national trade association of the IT & Engineering staffing and solutions industry. Hundreds of IT & Engineering staffing and solutions firms and tens of thousands of affiliated professionals, count on TechServe Alliance to keep their leadership informed, engaged and connected. TechServe Alliance serves as the voice of the industry before the policymakers and the national and trade press. By providing access to the knowledge and best practices of an entire industry and tapping the "collective scale" of hundreds of companies, TechServe Alliance supports its members in the efficient delivery of best-in-class IT & Engineering staffing and solutions for clients and exceptional professional opportunities for every consultant.

SOURCE TechServe Alliance

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