Photo: DPA

IT sector grows despite recession

Published: 2 Mar 09 14:10 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20090302-17747.html

Despite the general economic downturn, Germany’s booming information and telecommunications industry is desperate to fill 18,000 jobs on offer across the country.

Speaking ahead of the CeBIT computer fair in Hannover, Dieter Westerkamp from the Association of German Engineers (VDI) announced that the information technology sector employed 176,000 people in 2008, an all-time high that even eclipsed IT boom year 2000.

An industry survey also indicated that the economic crisis was having little effect on the IT sector. Only twelve percent of the 500 poll participants said that there would be job losses in the computer departments of their firms.

Westerkamp also called on politicians to place a higher priority on computers and internet access in schools, as well as to invest in technology and IT. Such a policy would “create long-term growth and employment”, he said.

DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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