| April 2006 |
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| Dice job postings in Chicago are up 29% |
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Chicago is famous for many things but the Windy City’s tech sector traditionally hasn’t been one of them. However, with an emerging state economy and increasing IT investments, that may be changing.
Although a large portion of job loss following the dot-com bust in 2000 was concentrated in Chicago’s high-tech manufacturing sectors, Illinois remains strong there. The state ranks third nationwide in measuring and control instruments employment and fourth in electronic components employment, according to a recent study by AeA, the nation’s largest trade association for the high-tech industry.
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"Illinois is home to many influential tech companies and has a critical mass of highly educated workers," said Marty Singer, Chairman and CEO of PCTEL, Inc., and a member of AeA.
“The future of Illinois' tech industry is bright,” Singer said. "Outstanding universities also provide exceptional talent and support to the high-tech industry.”
Venture capital investment is also a bright spot for the state as investments increased by five percent last year, and tech exports grew by 12 percent in 2005, according to the report.
Much of the state’s high-tech business is centered in the Chicago metro area.
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| “Tech hiring in Chicago is very strong and likely to continue to be a hot market for the foreseeable future,” |
| - Scot Melland, Dice CEO |
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Technology job listings on Dice, the leading technology career site, jumped an impressive 29 percent in the Chicago area during a recent three-month period, from 3,017 in December to 3,896 in March.
“With all it has to offer, Chicago is an ideal place for an IT business to thrive,” said Scot Melland, CEO of Dice. “And, in actuality it is thriving right now.”
In fact, the problem in Chicago is no longer a scarcity of jobs but rather a shortage of qualified candidates available to fill growing staffing needs.
“Many of the hiring companies and recruiting agencies who use Dice observe a tightening labor market, and salaries are starting to trend higher as a result,” Melland said.
Chicago IT professionals reported earning an average yearly income of $71,400, according to a salary survey by Dice. The national average tech salary is $70,300. The most sought-after IT skills right now on Dice include Java, SAP and Oracle.
Nationwide, the average high-tech salary grew 5.1 percent in 2005, a telling leap compared to a year earlier, when it grew at 4.3 percent, according to a study conducted by Economy.com.
“Tech hiring in Chicago is very strong and likely to continue to be a hot market for the foreseeable future,” Melland said.
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| “The future of Illinois' tech industry is bright” |
| - Marty Singer, Chairman and CEO of PCTEL, Inc. |
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