The number of IT jobs grew 0.1 percent sequentially last month to 5,179,300, according to TechServe Alliance, the national trade association of the IT & Engineering Staffing and Solutions industry. On a year-over-year basis, IT employment grew by 2.4% since December 2016 adding 122,900 IT workers.

Engineering employment growth was barely perceptible increasing by only 0.02 percent sequentially to 2,543,100.  On a year-over-year basis, growth in engineering employment remained anemic increasing by only 0.7% since December 2015 or 20,500 engineering workers.

"While the overall rate of growth in IT employment has continued to decelerate throughout the year and reached its low ebb in December, there is reason to be optimistic that demand will increase in 2017," stated Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. "With many economists projecting more robust growth in GDP, we fully expect demand for IT and engineering talent to accelerate as 2017 unfolds.  However, we continue to be concerned with the rhetoric supporting more restrictive immigration policies for high skilled workers.  Given many IT occupations are effectively at full employment, the lack of an adequate domestic supply of IT and engineering talent may hinder job growth here causing companies to look for ways to outsource jobs overseas---a horrific outcome for everyone," observed Roberts.