Home of the Cowboys and famous for its authentic Tex-Mex cuisine, Dallas, TX, is rated the 2nd fastest growing city in the US. The city is also well known for being the largest metropolitan area with no navigational path to the sea, built as a result of the thriving railroad industry in the late 1800s. What Dallas is not typically known for, however, is its tech scene.
Despite being home to companies like AT&T and Texas Instruments, most people would not imagine Dallas as a thriving tech hub – that is, until recent years. Several Texas cities, including Dallas, are being recognized as regions with economies recovering at a faster-than-average rate from the recession. What this means for Dallas in particular is a growing start-up scene, increasing entrepreneurship, and an impressive ranking as the 4th best city in the US to work in tech.
With Dice.com reporting that an impressive 72% of companies plan to expand their IT staff by 10% this year, it’s clear 2015 is set up to be a great year. And Dallas is no exception.
The state of Texas as a whole enjoys a #1 spot on Forbes’ list of Best States for Job Growth, and that’s no surprise when you realize that Texas created more IT jobs than any other state by the end of 2014, with a 6% increase in employed IT professionals. This puts Texas’ technology workforce ahead of every state except California, according to BLS data.
Zoom in on the Dallas metropolitan area, and you’ll quickly see that IT jobs have doubled in number since 2003. The biggest opportunities for IT employment are in mobile, big data and software development. Meanwhile, nearby Fort Worth has been listed as the 2nd best city in the nation for job seekers in 2015.
Clearly the IT job market in Dallas shows no sign of slowing. Demand will remain strong as more companies flock to the region. To counter any impending skills gap, Dallas, as well as the state of Texas, is placing a substantial focus on STEM education for the future workforce.
Dallas’ Independent School District is committed to sparking passion in young people for the science, technology, engineering and math fields by hosting events like STEM Day. Furthermore, there is the development of the Texas STEM Coalition, a worthy organization whose goal is to support Texas school systems by addressing “the challenges of tomorrow’s technology-driven economy.”
Additionally, the city and its surrounding areas represent a major hub for education in the southern central region of the US, with a large number of colleges, universities, trade schools and more. As Dallas continues to attract more companies, from Fortune 500s to tech start-ups and everything in between, the number of students graduating with STEM degrees will directly correlate.
The past several years have set Dallas apart, allowing it to really focus on its tech industry. Whether you’re looking for an IT job or are an employer experiencing this growing IT demand for yourself, IDR Dallas can help you out – whether or not you’re a Cowboys fan! Just contact us today!