| October 2006 |
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| It's not Boston and it's not New York, but that may work in its favor |
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| As a baby brother sandwiched between New York and Boston, Providence has always found itself to be a bit lost in the shuffle, especially as tech boomed in Boston in the 1970s and '80s, and then in New York in the '90s, seemed to pass it by.
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But that doesn’t mean that Providence should be overlooked by northeastern IT job hunters who are looking for good jobs and an affordable cost of living. The state and the city are asserting themselves in new ways, laying the groundwork for a future that generates all sorts of new jobs in the tech sector and beyond.
For example, in his 2006 State of the State address, Governor Donald Carcieri proposed two programs to give the tech sector in his state a jump start. First, he proposed a Science and Technology Tax Credit geared to stimulate investment in high-tech startups. Second, he asked for completion of a statewide Wi-Fi network, which he feels will yield limitless benefits for business, healthcare and education. After all, as the smallest state in the union, Rhode Island is always looking for ways to turn its size into an advantage. If any state can spread Wi-Fi from border to border, it's Little Rhodie.
Rhode Island resident and IT expert, Roy Neves said that finding a good IT position in a smaller city such as Providence can be tough, so it's important to know the industries that matter most. He cited finance as the place to look and points to Fidelity and Citizens Financial Group as two major employers, along with several regional banks and their data centers. Outsourcing has taken a toll, Neves said. "It's a competitive market, so one must be diverse and be familiar with many platforms and tools."
It can be tough out there. The Commerce Department said that over the past two years, Rhode Island's economic growth has slipped in relation to some of its New England neighbors, all of whom were hit hard by the recession of 2001. Luckily, it identifies health care and business services as two of the state's fastest growing industries.
That growth can be seen in the quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, which has found that in the fourth quarter, 17% of the Providence companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, according to Manpower spokesperson Dianne Torrey. Another 70% expect to maintain their current staff levels and 3% are not certain of their hiring plans.
At Dice, the number of Providence job listings saw a slight dip in September, but the overall 2006 trend has been positive, with listings up 43% from January to September. Clearly, Providence is enjoying an upswing.
"Providence is home to many large companies in the services sector," said Scot Melland, CEO of Dice. "Job hunters will find the best opportunities if they focus their searches in that arena."
If you would like to be interviewed for the next Dice market report, or if you have comments about this article, please contact us at feedback@dice.com.
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| Dice job postings in Providence are up 43% since Jan. |
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