TWO NEW reports indicate recruitment in the IT sector is to increase in coming years, while good pay rises are also expected this year.

The National Computing Centre's (NCC) Benchmark of IT Salaries and Employment Trends 2007, predicts the increase as firms look to make additions to their IT workforces in a number of areas.

The NCC report shows the IT labour market is currently in a stable situation, with 48 per cent of those surveyed predicting IT department growth in the next two years.

Most IT recruitment is expected for systems development with a high demand for workers with browser-based skills and knowledge of Microsoft.NET, Java and SharePoint.

Staff with SAP and Oracle skills will also be in demand, with a premium paid for their particular areas of expertise.

The NCC found at present IT managers earn on average £46,500 a year and systems development trainees earn £17,900. Wage increases for IT workers are predicted to hit 3.6 per cent this year.

However another report, the second annual Contractor Expectation Survey, aimed at gauging the plans of IT specialists, indicates IT contractors may be the biggest winners in the sector in 2007.

The survey, carried out by accountants JSA, shows 58 per cent of the UK's IT contractors are expecting a pay hike of at least ten cent in 2007.

A significant number of those surveyed - around 20 per cent - even said they aimed to gain a 15 per cent rise in take home pay.

For full results of the IT sector surveys, visit ncc.co.uk and jsagroup.co.uk.