Information technology jobs are projected to increase in the next few years.
Employers forecast a rise in jobs of 20.7 per cent - or nearly 10,000 people - to 57,791 workers by 2002, according to a survey.
Yeung Kwok-keung, chairman of the Vocational Training Council's committee on information technology training, which conducted the survey, said: 'The finding is consistent with everything we've learned in the past seven years that we've been doing this survey - that application of information technology continued to expand despite the financial crisis.' Jobs in software development and support are expected to increase the fastest - by 136 per cent in the coming year.
Mr Yeung said the findings indicated Tung Chee-hwa's goal to build up the information technology industry was realistic.
Hong Kong was capable of developing a software industry that could serve local users as well as exports.
To meet the demand for workers, the Information Technology Training Centre will offer courses five nights a week in April, up from two nights.