In seeming contradiction with reports highlighting the transfer of jobs offshore, high-tech job creation levels are showing a marked upswing in the UK.

According to the Computer People/Mandis Job Creation Index (CPMi), around 7,250 new IT and telecoms jobs were created during the second quarter, a 48% increase over the previous three months when roughly 4,900 jobs were created.

For the second quarter, 3,650 jobs were created in the telecoms sector, a four-fold increase during the first quarter, with over 2,700 job opportunities appearing in June alone. However, although 3,600 jobs were created within the IT sector during the second quarter, this figure was actually slightly down on the first quarter number when just under 3,900 jobs were created.

Nonetheless, Mandis deemed the first quarter performance “a blip”, and concluded that high-tech workers can look forward to a period of higher salaries and greater demand for their skills.

“This paves the way for the increasing trend of demand outstripping supply which can only lead to higher salaries and a more competitive recruitment market for IT employees as the power shifts to those with the specialist skills that are in demand,” says the index researchers.

According to Adam Fletcher, managing director of Computer People, the sector is seeing “some terrific growth in candidate demand across the two main IT sectors. At this rate, it is possible that we may see demand outstripping supply in some of the more specialist areas by the end of the year such as C# and .NET development skills”.

CPMi index tracks job creation levels across the UK technology and telecoms markets and draws on research into the employment intentions of the UK high-tech sector, identifying companies that are undergoing dynamically positive change involving financial growth, expansion, relocation, acquisitions or launching new products and services.