The California Tech Scene is Rapidly Growing: What does this Mean for You?
Posted August 25th, 2014
Silicon Valley has long been recognized as one of the worldwide hubs of technological innovation and successful startup growth. But this energy and excitement is beginning to spread to other parts of the state as well. Southern California in particular has seen hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital investment in recent years, and many more urbanized parts of California are seeing rapid growth in tech sectors. If you are a high-tech professional living in California, or looking for a promising tech frontier, this is a great time to be in the Golden State.
Salaries Are on the Rise
In order to seize the moment, California tech companies are making a concerted effort to attract the best and the brightest of the nation’s technical talent. No factor is more motivating than compensation, and these companies have shown a willingness to raise salaries, expand benefits packages, and come up with creative perks to build up the workforce they require.
New Technologies are Gaining Traction
Silicon Valley has always been associated with internet and new media startups, but recent data indicates that California tech companies are branching into a wide range of fields relating to science, technology, engineering and math. If you are not a web designer or programmer, your skills are still in demand in California. Expect the variety of job offerings to grow in coming years.
Investment Capital is Available
A study of venture capital investment in California revealed that $450 million dollars were funneled into the area between Santa Monica and Westwood alone. Similarly astounding levels of investment can be found throughout the state. If you are a technical professional with an entrepreneurial spirit, or a business owner looking to access ready sources of capital, California has shown a strong willingness to invest in new ideas.
Employees Have More Choices
For many years, the California tech boom was associated with outlying and suburban areas like Fresno. In recent years, however, new companies and opportunities have sprouted up within the limits of major cities and throughout the state. That means that technical workers no longer have to concentrate their job search on very specific parts of the state. No matter where you want to live or what kind of lifestyle you are looking for, there is likely to be an opportunity in a location that appeals to you.
Between 2001 and 2011, employment in technology related fields in California outpaced growth in all other occupations by 27 to 1. Even if the current boom begins to lag a little in coming years, there will still be a surplus of opportunities for qualified workers. To find current vacancies and to connect with employers that are looking for professionals just like you, work with the IT-staffing firm in the Bay Area and their specialists at Bayside Solutions.
