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Dayton Business Journal
Dayton tech jobs carry six-figure starting salaries
by Laura Englehart, Staff Reporter
Monday, July 2, 2012 

As technology rapidly changes and new products come online, companies have created new positions — and paired them with substantial salaries. 

From smartphone applications to cyber security, businesses in the Dayton region require skilled information technology workers, and they’re willing to shell out hundreds of thousands annually to pay them. Jobs that earn top dollar at entry level include application developers, data security analysts, business intelligence analysts and user experience designers, according to Robert Half Technology    . 

Career experts locally say demand for these workers has increased as businesses have returned to spending on systems upgrades and try again to keep pace with market evolutions. 

“Even if it’s not a job (companies) have right now, it’s a job they’re thinking about,” said Brittany Neil, division director of Robert Half Technology in Dayton. 

(Click below for some surprising jobs that pay six figures.)

 While the demand bodes well for recent graduates in management information systems, computer science or computer engineering programs, experts worry the region lacks the necessary talent pool to accommodate market demands. 

Jobs in demand 

As technology changes, so do open positions in the IT market. 

Smartphones and tablet computers have opened wide the opportunities for IT professionals from their use in the workplace to their ability to reach valuable consumers. 

“Everyone has an iPhone or smartphone,” Neil said. “If you don’t, you’re left behind.” 

At the same time, businesses have looked to new technology to glean information about their customers. But as more information is stored on vulnerable online systems and the everyman becomes more tech-savvy, businesses must defend themselves against security breaches. 

To reach customers conveniently in their palms or draw them to Web sites, businesses have looked to hire mobile app developers and user experience designers who work to make Web sites more customer friendly. 

App developers locally stand to make $74,400 to $107,200 annually starting out, according to numbers from the technology unit of Robert Half International. 

“We’re seeing application developers on the rise because, quite frankly, it’s not always the best fit for an executive-level person to sit stationary at a computer to read e-mails,” Neil said. “We need applications to be mobile.” 

And as consumers use those mobile apps and Web sites, companies need analysts to organize and interpret data collected from them, which is where business intelligence analysts come into play. 

“Not only are (chief information officers) and executives using applications to get a hold of devices, those companies need to know how to pull this data to get to the CIO,” Neil said. “Everything comes together in that way.” 

The position typically requires a strong background in database technology with an emphasis on the use of analytical and reporting tools. Employers locally pay business intelligence analysts from $77,000 to $108,000 starting out. 

To keep consumer and proprietary information protected, companies in the region have also created positions in data security analysis. These employees stand to make an annual $77,900 to $106,300 initially.

Tech Market Future 

Though some positions (app developer, for example) sound as fleetingly vogue as the technology that bore them, they have tremendous staying power, experts said. Also, most IT workers have the ability to adapt their skills to whatever comes next. 

The technology world is a good place to be for workers because demand continues to grow, said Jason Eckert, University of Dayton    career service director. 

“I think the IT employment sector is one of the strongest areas in the Dayton economy, and if I could grow and graduate 10 times the number of graduates in IT, I would be happy to do that,” Eckert said. “From what I see, the number of both current and projected jobs exceeds what’s available (in the workforce).” 

Despite its prevalence, however, technology is not a popular career path, he said. An emphasis locally on STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — education would help recruit young students into the profession. 

Both Eckert and Neil said, though high-paying tech jobs are readily available locally, recruiting talent for those positions isn’t always easy. 

“That’s a concern of mine — that in order for these really strong IT companies to stay in the Dayton area, they have to have enough talent to make it worth their while,” Eckert said. “Local schools have a responsibility to cultivate IT-ready employees.” 

But Dayton’s location helps, Neil said. 

“We’re fortunate to sit in between Cincinnati and Columbus,” she said. “Both markets are only about 45 minutes away.” 

Still, IT students flood the career services department looking for help. 

“Are we seeing a lot of students come in for career advising? Yes, but the reasons are different,” Eckert said. “They’re asking for help managing the job offers they’re receiving.” 

Read this and other articles at the Dayton Business Journal



 
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