To start 2020, North Carolina saw “a huge surge in the demand for technology talent” with finance and insurance, healthcare and other sectors watching their tech job needs grow by more than 40% compared to last year, according to the North Carolina Technology Association’s (NC Tech) IT Jobs Trends report.
In January, there were more than 32,000 publicly promoted open positions in technology, with software developers and workers in Java most in demand by companies across North Carolina. The number of job postings for Software Developers rose 27.6% in January 2020 compared with January 2019.
Demand for tech talent to fill new roles is only going to grow, with CompTIA forecasting a positive outlook for future tech employment growth. Its Cyberstates report shows North Carolina seeing an increase in the number of job postings related to emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, smart cities, drones, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and blockchain.
“The findings attest to a tech labor market that will remain tight as employers balance short-term needs with an eye towards the future,” said Tim Herbert, Senior Vice President for Research and Market Intelligence at CompTIA. “As digital-human models begin to unfold, employers and employees alike will face new challenges – and opportunities, in shaping the workforce of tomorrow.“
Yet it doesn’t appear that there will be enough students in North Carolina who will have the skills and training to work in the technologies required to do the jobs of tomorrow. In 2015, just around 2,300 North Carolinians completed an associate or bachelor’s degree in computer science and fewer than 6,000 K-12 students enrolled in a computer science course in 2016, according to figures cited by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2019 as he discussed actions to train more computer science teachers in the state.
“Long-term, closing the workforce gap will take strong collaboration between corporate America and our education system,” said Angelia Brekke, Genesis10’s Managing Director. “In the short-term creative approaches and investments are required to increase workforce capacity. We need to look at talent pools through a different lens—that of aptitude.”
Genesis10 created its Dev10 Software Developer Training Program to close the tech talent gap by recruiting, training and deploying locally. Since its launch, hundreds of people have successfully completed the training and are working as Genesis10 consultants for clients in banking and financial services, manufacturing, healthcare and retail.
Genesis10’s Dev10 program engages local professionals with four-year degrees who possess demonstrated aptitude and desire to become software developers. Each candidate is vetted through a rigorous selection process. Of those who apply, just 5% are accepted into the program. Those selected become Dev10 Consultants and begin three months of immersive technology training.
Upon successfully completing their training, Dev10 Consultants are placed with Genesis10 clients locally—relocation is not required. The objective is to develop new talent from current residents—people who have already chosen Charlotte as their home. Once on the job, Genesis10 provides ongoing mentoring and performance management.
Dev10 Consultants share that they are happy in their new careers. Their projects are challenging, and they relish the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences to further their tech careers. Genesis10 clients say they are impressed not only with the high caliber and high potential of Dev10 Associates, but also with their level of productivity and contribution. One client shared that, with just two months on the job, the Dev10 Consultant was completing work comparable to senior developers.
Continuing to strengthen Charlotte’s technology workforce will require collaboration across the region as well as creative interventions like Dev10. Companies and organizations looking to take part have a direct way to get involved: Consider tapping into Genesis10’s Dev10 program for Java Developers. Dev10 Consultants are well-trained, high-performing, and best of all already right here in Charlotte, one of the hottest technology talent markets in the U.S.
To learn more about Dev10 and speak with a member of the Genesis10 team, contact Angelia Brekke at abrekke@genesis10.com.