OECD - continuing decline in employment in the ICT sector

[oecd]Employment is continuing to drop in the information and communications technology (ICT) goods sector and remaining flat in most ICT services, according to a new OECD report.

Employment in ICT manufacturing dropped by around 6-7% year-on-year in most countries in the second quarter of 2009. Sweden is the only exception with a smaller decline (3%), but Swedish job losses were accelerating. The United States has fared worst and the year-on-year downturn in ICT manufacturing employment reached 10% in September 2009. Since 2004 Chinese employment in the ICT manufacturing sector has been growing strongly, dropping dramatically in the beginning of 2009, with a negative growth rate of 5% in the second quarter compared to second quarter 2008.

Employment in the ICT sector continues dropping