Information technology and computing

Sector introduction

Information technology (IT) is at the centre of everyday life and can be found in almost all other industries. IT underpins many organisations and pastimes, from shopping to watching television, and is at the core of every business. In 2010 one in every 20 people (1.5 million) working in the UK was employed in this sector.

The IT and computing sector is forecast to continue to expand. It will continue to be the key element that enables businesses to grow. Employment in the sector over the next decade is projected to grow nearly five times faster than the UK average.

Output percentage change in IT services has been, and is forecast to remain, the highest of all UK sectors. The IT and computing sector, including the telecoms industry, directly contributed 9% towards the UK's total Gross Value Added (GVA) [GVA is the difference between the value of goods and services produced and the cost of raw materials and other inputs used to produce them.]. According to E-skills UK, the optimisation of information and communications technology (ICT) could generate an additional £50 billion of GVA across the UK economy over the next 5-7 years. The economic contribution of the Internet is now said to be worth an estimated £100 billion to the UK economy.

This is a very dynamic industry and is constantly changing. It has a central role to play in the government's current drive to create a 'Digital Britain' so that managers, employees, leaders and citizens can use IT to enhance all aspects of their lives.