[May 28, 2015]

Austin Technology Council Shares Preliminary Findings of Tech Talent Study

At today's CEO Summit in Austin, the Austin Technology Council (ATC) and Civic Analytics will present preliminary findings from a survey of Austin employers providing insight into technology talent needs and hiring trends. Conducted in April, the results presented today reflect a preliminary assessment designed to direct future in-depth studies.

The full summary is available on the ATC website HERE, and a highlight of findings include:

• Austin needs to fill 2,500 to 3,500 core tech talent jobs on average per year through 2024. Currently, employers indicate that they are filling the majority of openings with people already living in Austin, and not all tech jobs require a bachelor or advanced degree. Nearly one-half of survey respondents require a minimum of five years of work experience in order for job candidates to be considered qualified, presenting a barrier to getting entry-level core talent into the supply, especially local graduates.
• Results are unclear on the magnitude of the perceived talent shortage industry-wide. Some companies - particularly smaller, fast-growing firms - are finding it difficult to hire for core tech talent positions. However, survey results suggest that large companies may be experiencig the perceived talent shortage differently, or not at all.
• While Austin continues to grow as a leading tech market, wages for core tech talent jobs are lower than most leading tech regions nationally. Some of this can be explained by cost of living differences, but some of it cannot, such as comparisons with Raleigh-Durham, Dallas, markets of similar size to Austin, and even national median wages.
• Results indicate a mismatch in the types of technology certifications offered in Austin area school districts and employer needs. These certifications may be useful as a "gateway" for students to discover interests and talent in tech, but, on their own, are not useful credentials that can be translated into the labor market.
• Supply does not meet demand. Even if all 1,500 graduates in core tech programs from postsecondary institutions in Austin were considered qualified in 2013, 88 percent of employers do not consider recent graduates as qualified candidates, twice as many are still needed to keep up with current demand.

The Austin Technology Council (ATC) is the voice of Central Texas' diverse and thriving technology and life sciences industries, representing more than 1,200 technology executives, 280 companies and 60,000 employees. The Austin technology and life sciences sector contribute $21.5 billion annually to the regional economy and support more than one third of local jobs. By convening Austin's top technology executives, ATC is leading the effort to meet the future needs of the industry through increased access to capital, new and diverse technical talent in the region, mentorship for emerging companies, and connectivity across the industry and with key stakeholders in Texas and around the world.

Connect with us:

Hashtag: #ATCCEOSummit
Website: www.austintechnologycouncil.org
Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/AustinTechCouncil
Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/atcouncil
LinkedIn (News - Alert): http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=42568&trk=my_groups-b-grp-v

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150528005507/en/

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