Beyond Silicon Valley: Where the tech jobs are

It’s no secret that future is tech. In fact, the United States is the largest tech market in the world, representing 31 percent of the total, or approximately $1.5 trillion for 2018, according to CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook 2018. In the U.S., the tech sector is one of the most significant contributors to GDP.

It should come as no surprise then that tech jobs are booming. In 2017, nearly 5.4 million individuals worked as technology professionals across the U.S. economy, notes the report. This represents an increase of 2.1 percent, or nearly 110,000 net new jobs. Continued growth is expected in 2018 and beyond.

From small startups to Fortune 500s, companies are filling tech vacancies as fast as possible. In fact, some are struggling to fill their needs, as demand far outweighs supply for qualified candidates. With technology being so essential to the success of every industry, not filling these essential positions is a huge obstacle.

Some companies are taking the next step and partnering with educational organizations. Microsoft and Cisco Systems are just two examples of businesses working with universities to train students in the necessary skills to thrive at demanding technical jobs. This proactive strategy helps ensure a steady stream of talent in the future and ideally fewer labor shortages.

Having technical skills puts you in high demand, but you may need to go where the jobs are. When you think about a location with a top market for tech jobs, Silicon Valley immediately comes to mind. But California’s Santa Clara Valley isn’t the only hub for these types of positions. If the West Coast isn’t calling your name, you still have many options when it comes to finding your dream job.

The LinkUp data analysts decided to take a look at technology sector job growth and decline at the zip code level to identify which locations were strongest and which were weakest. Specifically, they measured positive or negative percentage change, year over year. The results intentionally do not include the Silicon Valley area, or jobs for Amazon or IBM, to provide a more granular picture.

For people seeking tech jobs (or those attending school who will be looking soon), this map provides deep insight into where their future may lead them. Fortunately there are places across the country flourishing with technical job opportunity so there’s bound to be plenty of options for those with the right qualifications.