THERE was a time, not so long ago, when Network Administrators, Web Designers, Systems Testers, PC Developers and Rollout engineers simply did not exist.

Consequently, Outsource UK, a Swindon IT recruitment agency based in Old Town is this week celebrating 12 (note: not 10 or 15 but 12) years of technological breakthroughs and changing IT skill requirements.

Managing director Paul Jameson said: "Working in IT recruitment has been a fascinating journey over the last 12 years.

"We've gone from IT skills shortages to large-scale redundancies and the latest fad of outsourcing whole IT departments overseas.

"Yet there is a perennial problem of skills shortages in specialist areas and over supply in older skills such as Cobol programming."

Formed in 1991, Outsource UK Ltd specialises in recruiting highly skilled permanent and contract IT staff across the UK and in specialist roles abroad.