Information Technology Industry

The IT industry includes such products and services as software, telecommunications, wireless, Internet, hardware, peripherals, and computer and data services. 1• Software and hardware segments of the industry accounted for 12.57% of total GDP in 2001. 2• The commercial software industry of 2003 was a $175 billion economic engine with 2.3 million jobs worldwide. 3• IT is both a distinct industry, and, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a subset of Manufacturing, Transportation, and Business Services. • 92% of all IT workers are in non-information technology companies including companies engaged in health care services, real estate, insurance, and financial services; 80% of them are in small companies outside the IT industry. 4• Over the last 30 years, an investment of $11 trillion has been made in information technology globally. The major achievements have been in productivity, manufacturing efficiencies, and education applications. 5• Seven of the top thirty fastest growing occupations are projected to be IT-related. 6• The computer systems design and related services industry is expected to be one of the top 10 fastest growing industries in the economy, adding more than 600,000 jobs between 2002 and 2012.7• Employment in the telecommunications industry is expected to increase by 7 percent between 2002 and 2012. 81U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Career Guide to Industries 2004-05.2U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, www.bea.gov/bea/dn2/home/gdpbyindy.htm.3“Enabling Tomorrow’s Innovation,” IDC White Paper and Business Software Alliance CEO Opinion Poll, October 2003, p. III. www.globaltechsummit.net/press/IDC-CEOSurvey-2003.pdf.4ITAA Workforce Survey.5“Enabling Tomorrow’s Innovation, ” p. III. 6BLS, Daniel Hecker, “Occupational employment projections to 2012,” Monthly Labor Review, February 2004, p. 100.7BLS, Career Guide to Industries 2004-05.8Ibid.

Information Technology Industry2Updated 3/25/04etaEMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATIONUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR• All seven of the fastest growing IT jobs (Network systems and data communications analyst; Computer software engineer, applications; Computer software engineer, systems software; Database administrator; Computer systems analyst; Network and computer systems administrator; Computer and information systems manager) require at least a bachelor’s degree. 9• Nine percent of CIOs at U.S. companies plan to increase their IT hiring in the fourth quarter of 2003.109BLS, National Projections Data Matrix, www.bls.gov/emp/home.htm.10Robert Half Technology, Press Release, August 2003, www.roberthalftechnology.com/PressRoom?LOBName=RHIC&releaseid=371.