OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. -- Survey Also Indicates Companies Placing Increasingly High Value on Employees with Technology Skills

More than 81 percent of employers across a diverse range of industries say they expect to increase their overall hiring in the coming year, according to a recent survey conducted by DeVry University. Among employers expecting to hire, nearly 30 percent expect to increase their staff by 11 percent to 25 percent; 60 percent expect an increase of 1 percent to 10 percent; and about 7 percent say they'll increase personnel by up to 50 percent in the coming year.

DeVry also found that employers are placing an increasingly high value on employees with strong technology skills. Two-thirds of respondents say that, over the past five years, they have increased the number of information technology professionals they employ. Moreover, they indicate that having strong technology skills is important for more than just those employees who hold IT positions.

DeVry found that 81 percent of respondents say they look for technology skills in a significant percentage of the non-information technology employees they hire. Half say that the importance of technology skills to their non-IT employees will increase in importance in the coming year.

"The results of this survey are encouraging for the overall job market as well as for people with strong technology skills," said John Petrik, dean of career services at the DeVry University campus in Addison, Ill. "Employers are expressing optimism about the future of their companies and the economy in general. They're also underscoring how important technology has become in today's workplace - and how, as technology continues to penetrate so many aspects of business, almost every job involves technology."

The 126 employers who participated in the survey are included in DeVry's database of employers and represent industries including accounting, aerospace, biotechnology, business services, construction, consulting, electronics, engineering, financial services, government, health care, information technology, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, sales and marketing, and telecommunications, among others.

As one of the largest degree-granting higher education systems in North America, DeVry University provides high-quality, career-oriented associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs in technology, business and management. Approximately 49,000 students are enrolled at its 71 locations that are in 20 states and Canada, as well as through DeVry University Online. DeVry University is based in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. For more information about DeVry University, visit http://www.devry.edu.