Olympics to create 5,000 UK IT jobs

London Olympics worth £250m to IT and telecoms sector

The 2012 London Olympics is expected to create more than 5,000 IT and telecoms jobs in Britain, generating more than £250m for the UK IT sector, according to IT recruitment firm Greythorn.

A vast high-tech infrastructure will be needed over the course of the Games, as there will be a heavy reliance on technology.

IT and telecoms professionals will be required for various roles, including the implementation of an IT and telecoms network to support the media presence and put into place cyber security measures.

Greythorn claims that this will result in the creation of 5,000 jobs, each with an average salary of £48,562 for IT and technology professionals. This totals earnings of £250m per year.

“The IT and telecoms infrastructure required to host the Olympics will leave a significant high-tech footprint on the UK labour market,” said Paul Winchester, managing director of Greythorn.

“Before the Olympics begin, emergency service lines need to be secured and WiFi coverage needs to be expanded, including an attempt to get internet access across the tube network in time for the games — measures must also be taken to prevent cyber attacks.”

He added that demand for skilled IT professionals is already increasing markedly, and said that five per cent of the UK’s 29 million-strong workforce is in the IT and telecoms industries.

“The government forecasts suggest 103,000 permanent jobs will be created by the Games, so our estimate may be on the conservative side,” he added.