Investment and expansion in the high-tech manufacturing sector, which could create job roles for IT contractors, may provide the best long-term growth post-recession, it has been claimed.

Such an investment would have a knock-on effect for the growth of a range of other sectors, such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, aerospace and defence, as well as life videogames, according to the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta).

This is where the UK's talent for synergising creative industries and taking advantage of crossover skills comes into play, the group's executive director of policy and research Stian Westlake claims.

He added: "If you look at the scenarios in which high tech drives growth, you'll see that the significant chunk of growth also comes from services.

"I would say that in this high-tech scenario there is an important role for software and IT services," he added.

Investing in high-tech manufacturing is one of four possible growth areas identified by Nesta, the others being "business as usual" financial services, innovation and a "full-blooded manufacturing renaissance.