This IDC study presents our 2006-2010 forecast for the worldwide and U.S. educational services markets. The shift to investment in IT continued in 2005, with most IT education markets exceeding expectations for the year. In the Americas, we believe there was more than a 2% increase in external IT training spend from 2005. Overall, external IT spending for the region rose more than 5% in 2005. Recovery in the IT training market will continue to lag behind other segments of IT slightly, with growth continuing to pick up in 2006 and increased growth expected in 2007 and beyond.

"The IT skills shortage, exacerbated by the aging baby-boomer population, will have a larger impact than we had previously reported in the later portions of the forecast. IT training vendors will need to react in the near term to help their clients prepare for this challenge." Cushing Anderson, program director, Corporate Learning and Performance research.