Job ads targeting university leavers were up 11.65 per cent for the month and have risen 66.5 per cent over the year. Ads for graduates in engineering and mining were up 105 percent for the year, while ads for IT graduates rose by 89 percent.

Olivier said the figures indicated a continuing skills shortage.

"After the technology downturn, university numbers dropped significantly, but those that did choose to study IT in 2001 and 2002 are graduating now, and it will be a very good time for them," he said.

Olivier is optimistic about the prospects for the IT job market over the next year and said that it should continue to grow steadily.

"Other sectors, such as advertising and retail are affected by factors like oil price rises and inflation, but IT is a longer term investment and does not seem as variable. People don't invest in a project one month only to ditch it the next month," he said.