The technology workforce is set to grow four times faster than the rest of the UK's employment sectors over the next 10 years, according to IT sector skills council e-skills UK.

The number of people employed in IT grew at twice the rate of the UK average over the past eight years, reaching more than 1.1m people today. Despite the recession, e-skills says many employers are still struggling to fill certain technology positions.

The IT industry needs more than 110,000 new entrants each year, with the largest recruitment source being people currently working in other sectors. Others come from education, re-entering the workforce after a career break, and the unemployed. "All of these people need the right mix of technical and business skills to make the most of current and emerging technology," e-skills said.

(Rebecca Thomson www.computerweekly.com)