Fujitsu Services is to transfer its internal helpdesk operation in the UK to South Africa in a bid to free-up workers to serve the company's own customers instead.

The IT services company insists it's not following in the footsteps of other companies that have sent IT jobs overseas. Instead, its internal helpdesk support for the UK is being transferred to ICL South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu.

What's more, the move will not result in any job losses in the UK either, so we're told, since the 30 staff are to be re-assigned to cover Fujitsu's own punters.

A spokesman for Fujitsu said the move would "free-up employees in the UK to handle customer enquiries", instead of ones from employees.

Fujitsu is shifting the jobs overseas because it says it is "not able to find enough highly skilled staff in the UK". ®