The State of IT in South Carolina

THE STATE OF IT IN SOUTH CAROLINA PRESENTED BY:

Welcome South Carolina’s IT community is vibrant and growing – so much, in fact, that there

Tech Employees

62,360

are many open jobs but not enough talent to fill them. At IT-oLogy, our mission is

Tech Businesses

6,391

Average Tech Wage

$76,589

% of Workforce

3.2%

Q4 2016 Open Jobs

6,424

managers, CTOs, CIOs and others who would share with us their stories and data

Tech Employment Ranking

27th

about IT jobs in their companies. Once the data was compiled, we found a compelling

Average Tech Wage

40th

Innovation Ranking

38th

Tech Job Growth 2016

3.3%

Economic Impact

4.6%

to attract, retain and educate our citizens about careers in the IT profession, thus closing the gap between talent and open jobs.

We set out in early 2017 with a mission – to research the state of IT in South Carolina.

Through surveys, face-to-face and phone interviews, we talked with IT hiring

story about South Carolina and IT jobs – both the challenges and opportunities that lay before us.

The information in this report tells that story and gives us a road map to continue to grow IT talent in South Carolina. We hope you will join us as we tackle the challenges and embrace the opportunities to grow IT talent in South Carolina.

Tammy Mainwaring President, IT-oLogy

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South Carolina State of IT Summary

The State of IT in South Carolina

State of IT Jobs in S.C.

South Carolina’s annual tech sector growth is set at 9%, based on findings from CompTIA. What are the fastest-growing jobs and what certifications are the most beneficial to obtaining employment in the tech sector?

Fastest-growing jobs

Top 10 Most Important Technical Certifications

IT positions on the list of 100 fastest-growing jobs in S.C.

Rank in S.C.

1. Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

Job Growth % 2014-2024

3. Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastics

31.54%

6. Web Developers

23.36%

12. Computer Systems Analysts

21.71%

16. Software Developers, Applications 29. Information Security Analysts 33. Software Developers, Systems Software

73. Network and Computer Systems Administrators 97. Computer Network Support Specialists

19.05% 18.35% 15.62%

43. Computer User Support Specialists

11.89% 9.95%

The hardest IT jobs to fill in the U.S. • • • • •

Network Engineer: $99,000 – $146,250 Software Developer: $93,000 – $155,000 Network Security Administrator: $107,000 – $155,250 Database Developer: $108,000 – $161,500 Network Security Engineer: $115,500 – $162,500

• • • •

26.92%

Data Scientist: $116,000 – $163,000 Software Engineer: $108,250 – $164,500 Data Security Analyst: $118,250 – $169,000 Big Data Engineer: $135,000 – $196,000

2. Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA) 3. Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) 4. Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) 5. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) 6. Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) 7. GIAC Security Expert (GSE) 8. Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)/Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) 9. Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) 10. Certifications for Special Situations

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance certification, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance certification, Database administration certification, Wireless networking certifications, Voice over IP certifications, Certifications offered by CompTIA

The State of IT in South Carolina

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State of IT Jobs in S.C. COMPUTER AND MATHEMATICAL JOB OPENINGS IN MAY 2017 IN SOUTH CAROLINA HEAT MAP

S.C. job opening distribution

The graph below shows the counties in S.C. with the highest job openings for computer and mathematical occupations in May 2017.

Job openings by mean advertised salary, May 2017 Computer Programmers Database Administrators Information Technology Project Managers Software Developers, Applications Software Developers, Systems Software Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers $0

$20K

$40K

$60K

$80K

$100K

320

480

640

800

Number of job openings, May 2017 Computer Programmers Database Administrators Information Technology Project Managers Software Developers, Applications Software Developers, Systems Software Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers 0

Richland County

Source:https://jobs.scworks.org/vosnet/analyzer/results.aspx?session=jobdocc

Charleston County Greenville County

York County

Spartanburg County

Horry County

Lexington County

Sumter County

Beaufort County

Pickens County 0

- 50 - | P a g e

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100 200

300

The State of IT in South Carolina

400 500 600

700

800 900 1,000 1,100 1,200 1,300

160

The Challenges

Six gaps emerged in the research relative to IT workforce supply and demand.

If not addressed, these will impede the growth of South Carolina’s economy.

1

A limited supply of trained and experienced IT employee candidates across all occupations resulting in vacancies, recruitment of out-ofstate talent, or positions being outsourced.

2

The number of students pursuing training, certification and/or degrees in IT will not meet the projected industry needs in S.C.

3

Women and minorities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics, are underrepresented in the national and South Carolina IT workforce.

4

The demand for cybersecurity professionals is rapidly accelerating at three times the rate of IT jobs in general. A concentration of demand was noted for employers in the S.C. metro areas and the I-77 corridor particularly for companies that provide security services.

5

In addition to technical skills and experience, employers are seeking stronger non-IT-specific “soft skills”, i.e., interpersonal skills, internal and external customer service, critical thinking and problem-solving, professionalism, and business acumen.

6

A shared, consistent, statewide culture for innovation and entrepreneurship is needed to support technological advancement and economic growth throughout S.C.

Skills employers project to be difficult to fill 2017-2021 Skills • Programmers • Web developers • Sales skills • Soft skills • Computer engineers

Reasons • Competition • High wages • Small market • High demand • Need more training • Lack of soft skills

Impact of the talent gap “For the past three months, the rate of IT jobs growth has been sluggish.

While it still represents an increase in IT employment, the rate of growth has generally been on a downward trajectory for the past year.

Given the extremely low unemployment rates in many high-demand IT and engineering skill sets, the shortage of supply is clearly impeding the growth rate of the US technical workforce.”

Mark Roberts, CEO, TechServe Alliance

The State of IT in South Carolina

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The Recommendations

To continue to develop the IT workforce in South Carolina, both long-term and short-term strategies are recommended based on the six gaps identified.

1

Broaden existing networking, mentoring and apprenticeship programs to include areas where services are limited.

SCCYBER Apprenticeship CarolinaTM, a division of the S.C. Technical College System, works to ensure all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs. At no cost to the employer, apprenticeship consultants are available to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the national Registered Apprenticeship System. www.apprenticeshipcarolina.com

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6

IT-oLogy uses innovative programs that connect and inspire students and professionals to develop the skills they need to become the problem solvers of today and tomorrow.

• IT-oLogy has helped 73,921 students and 7,714 educators explore IT through field trips, in-class deliverables, career fairs, competitions and Cyber Saturdays.

• IT-oLogy has assisted in increasing the number of professionals employed in IT- related occupations by 24% from 2009 -2013, as compared to 11% nationally.

• IT-oLogy has reached 53,867 IT professionals and business leaders with its conferences, workshops and seminars. www.it-ology.org

Create or identify a champion group/board/council at the state level to drive accountability and to support systemic change/needs, i.e., K-12 education, accessibility, two-year and four-year college degree programs with emphasis on building portfolios and work-ready skills, and the focus on an innovation culture.

The State of IT in South Carolina

Chartered by the state of South Carolina in 1983, South Carolina Research Authority, SCRA, is a public, non-profit corporation that fosters and enriches South Carolina’s innovation economy. SCRA supports entrepreneurs, enables academic research and commercialization, and connects industry to innovators. scra.org

SC Cyber is a statewide initiative, based at the University of SC and with partners across all levels of academia, industry and government, with a mission to develop the talent, techniques and tools to defend critical, connected infrastructure within South Carolina and the United States. In support of this mission, SC Cyber offers programs for training and workforce development, education, advanced technology development and commercialization, and critical infrastructure protection. www.sccyber.org

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Expand outreach of technical college training, IT events and programs to underserved areas.

4

Consider teacher incentives to attract and retain qualified IT teachers.

Conclusion

In order for South Carolina to assume a leadership role in the information technology economy, key stakeholders from across the state must join together to address the talent gap. The continued development of a sustainable, skilled information technology talent pipeline is critical to the success of South Carolina’s economy.

There are many resources and programs available across the state that are producing results. Leveraging and aligning current programs and strategies can accelerate the immediate talent pipeline. Long-term strategies will require an integrated, statewide intentional focus and commitment in the ever-evolving environment of information technology.

The State of IT in South Carolina

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