Two segments of the high-tech industry driving the job gains in 2008 were software services, including software publishing, custom programming and computer systems design, and engineering and tech services, including computer training, testing labs and research and development, said the report, released Tuesday.

TechAmerica officials said they were generally optimistic about the U.S. tech sector, despite a continuing U.S. recession. "The tech sector ... has weathered the storm longer and stronger than most other sectors of our economy," said Phil Bond, president of TechAmerica, made up of four recently merged trade groups including AeA and the Information Technology Association of America.

TechAmerica officials, however, declined to give job forecasts for 2009, saying they haven't traditionally done so when releasing their annual . The outlook for 2009 is "clouded by some uncertainty" because of the U.S. economy, but the tech sector is positioned to contribute to an economic recovery, with funds coming from an economic stimulus package passed by the U.S. Congress in mid-February and elsewhere, Bond said.

The economic stimulus package included US$19 billion for health IT and $7.2 billion for broadband deployment, plus money for deployment of a smart energy grid.

Currently, there are a lot of hiring freezes in Silicon Valley in addition to recent layoffs, noted David Thomas, executive director of TechAmerica Silicon Valley. More layoffs are likely in the near term, he said.