Change in California's employment rate is hard to find, but one study found a bright spot for technology-related jobs over the next two years. But will it be enough?
With
an unemployment rate over 12 percent, the Golden State's economy is more rust
than shine in 2010. Overall, California lost 1.3 million jobs
during the recession, with layoffs in many industries still expected.
Jobs
in technology over the last two years have been hit hard across the board, but
especially in manufacturing and the semiconductor industry. Despite a rough few
years, new data suggests California technology jobs are
going to see some recovery, albeit on the small side of the equation.
The
majority of industries in California are expected to grow 3.8 percent over the
next two years, Yet, jobs in information, communications and technology (ICT)
are going to grow 7 percent over that time period-about 46,000 new or
replacement jobs-according to an August study of California's job situation by
BW Research and California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce
Development Centers of Excellence and the Mid-Pacific ICT Center.
"The
study provides a real bright spot in California's labor market, which
is largely pretty dismal," Josh Williams, principal researcher at BW
Research Partnership, who compiled the data for the state study, said in an
interview with eWEEK. "I think we are seeing structural changes in our
economy and the demand for ICT skills in given industries converging with other
more traditional industries."
The
study, which surveyed 600 private employers in the state, looked closely at ICT
job categories across all industries and discovered 4 percent of all companies
in the state are ICT companies, take in 6 percent of all state revenues, employ
nearly 1 million workers and account for 12 percent of state revenues.
Where
will information, communications and technology jobs be found in the state?
Companies that provide ICT goods and services are expected to grow 8.5 percent
over the next two years, according to the same study, as capital budgets
loosen up and more technology equipment and services to manage hardware and
software will be purchased.
"Health
care, automotive technology and energy all provide opportunities for job
seekers
who are looking to
develop skills that will be employable in the near future," said Williams.
Economists
at UCLA do not expect much movement in the state's economy and job rate until
mid-2011.
"All
the evidence suggests that California is ever so slowly
coming out of the recession," wrote Jerry Nickelsburg, senior economist
with UCLA's Anderson School of Business, in a Sept. 15 forecast statement. "But,
slow growth means that while the groundwork for faster growth is being put
down, there is not a lot of perceptible change."
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