Occupation	Employment
	1998 2008	Percent Increase
All Other Computer Scientists	97,500 212,100	118
Computer Engineers	299,300 622,100	108
Computer Support Specialists	429,300 868,700	102
Systems Analysts, EDP	616,900 1,194,200	94
Database Administrators	87,400 154,900	77

At the same time, as indicated in a companion article on this website, actual
employment in the computer and data processing industry, from June 2000
through June 2001, grew at a rate of 5.7 percent, even as the all industry
employment total remained static, rising only 0.3 percent.

The continued growth in demand for computer occupations is explained by
two factors. First, IT products, services, and workers are found throughout
the economy. The role of IT workers is expanding in manufacturing, financial
industries, government, and retail and wholesale trade, even though the largest
group of these workers is still found in the computer services industry. Second,
the demand for IT workers is magnified by high turnover, as workers move from
one firm to the next.

According to Margaret Hilton of the National Academy of Sciences, to get that
first IT job, education and training programs that include structured internships
can provide the substantive work experience that many employers require today.
Then…

"To keep pace with the rapid changes in the computer industry, IT graduates,
such as those entering the workforce today, require ongoing formal training and
formal learning opportunities, as well as a supportive work organization that encourages
them to use and further develop their skills." ¹

¹See "Information Technology Workers In The New Economy," Margaret Hilton, Monthly Labor Review,
U.S. Department of Labor, June 2001.

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