Two-thirds of German ICT company to hire more employees in 2015: survey

German information technology and telecommunications (ICT) industry was optimistic about its business outlook in the new year, as more than two thirds of companies in the industry planned to add new jobs in 2015, a survey found on Monday.

The industry was more optimistic than in last year, said German ICT industry group BITKOM in a statement. 68 percent of companies would hire more employees in the new year, only 5 percent expected job cuts. In 2014, the figures were 63 percent and 7 percent respectively.

Currently, ICT industry, which employs 953,000, was the second largest industrial employer following machinery manufacturing in Germany, data from BITKOM showed. In the past five years, almost 100,000 new jobs were created in the IT business.

"IT remained a major growth industry with positive effects on the German labour market," said Dieter Kempf, chief of the Berlin-based association.

According to its survey, software companies and IT service providers were particularly seeking employees. 75 percent of the software companies wanted to hire new staff, while 71 percent of IT service providers planned an extended employment.

Morale in hardware manufacturers were more skeptical, but half of them also expected a job growth.

BITKOM said ICT industry in Germany saw the shortage of skilled worker as the biggest obstacle in development. 52 percent of the companies felt challenges in filling empty positions with qualified professionals.

The overall business confidence in Germany improved for the third consecutive month in January, a survey by Munich-based Ifo institute showed early on Monday.

Analysts expected that the falling oil prices and dropping euro exchange rate would accelerate the recovery of German economy which grew by 1.5 percent in 2014. Endit