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Employment, trends, and training in information technology.

Article Excerpt
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Amari and Aaron have always loved computers. Growing up, Amari spent much of her free time building computers and fixing technical problems. Aaron enjoyed writing simple programs. Both planned to enroll in the computer science department at their local universities and pursue careers in information technology.

But now, as high school graduation draws near, neither student is sure what to do. They've heard about computer jobs being moved to other countries, even as technology seems pervasive in everyday life. Will there be opportunities in information technology? Will jobs be moved abroad? Is computer-related training a bad investment of time and money?

Amari and Aaron are not alone in their uncertainty. In recent years, students, workers, and jobseekers have received mixed signals about the job market for information technology. Periods of strong job growth have been punctuated by brief periods of employment declines. Optimism about information technology, commonly referred to as IT, as a career field has been tempered by concerns about job security and competition abroad. Jobseekers and students, unsure of what the future holds, are understandably confused about the direction in which IT careers are headed.

But, as this analysis shows, the IT field continues to offer opportunities for jobseekers who have the right skills and training. The good news for Amari and Aaron is that most IT occupations are expected to remain in high demand and have strong job growth.

Data in this article are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)--including the Current Population Survey and the Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections program. Keep reading for an overview of some information technology occupations studied by BLS. There's also a discussion of past employment, future prospects, and education and training for IT workers. A final section provides sources of more information.

Who are IT workers?

There is no universal definition of the IT workforce. For purposes of this article, IT workers are grouped into 10 selected occupations commonly identified for their computer-related focus. These occupations are in nearly all areas of the country and in nearly all types of organizations. Workers in most of the occupations are in demand--and, as a group, earned wages that were almost twice the national average of $40,690 in May 2007, according to BLS.

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