IT employment in the US remained essentially unchanged in the first month of 2008 after reaching a record high in December.

The National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB), which tracks IT employment on a monthly basis, reported that IT employment surpassed the 3.8 million mark in the last month of 2007.

In the 12 months to January 2008, IT employment in the US grew 7.9 per cent. While declining in December, IT employment finished 2007 at record levels.

IT employment declined by 5,300 workers in December, or about 0.14 per cent from the previous month, but ended 2007 at 3.673 million, a year-over-year increase of 20,000.

"Despite widespread economic concerns, IT employment remains strong," said Mark Roberts, chief executive at the NACCB.

"The sub-prime credit crisis, weakened housing sector and relentless stream of negative economic reports would lead us to expect a softening in demand, but we have not yet seen it.

"Outside a handful of sectors, demand for IT professionals remains robust."