IT student numbers are down almost 10 per cent since last year, according to GCSE results published today.

In 2006 109,601 school children took technology subjects, compared with 99,656 this summer.

Design and Technology also fell by 4.5 per cent from 371,672 to 354,959.

Technology is one of the worst-performing subjects, along with French, German and History.

A level computing results out last week also showed a drop of 10 per cent. And the information and communication technology course numbers fell six per cent from 14,208 to 13,360.

The slide will have a huge impact on the UK's global competitiveness, said trade group Intellect.

‘We need a highly skilled workforce to remain competitive in the future which means employees with a mixture of technical skills and business skills,’ said a spokeswoman.