Study: Tampa MSA tops in Florida for e-commerce, information security, and Big Data talent


July 8, 2015



Tampa Bay’s concentration of the most in-demand e-commerce, information security, and Big Data professionals is the highest in Florida, a study commissioned by the EDC has revealed.
 
The Tampa MSA ranks #1 in the state for the number of .NET developers, Hadoop developers, computer network architects, and data warehousing specialists. It ranks #2 and #3, respectively, in the number of NoSQL developers and PHP developers employed in the market.
 
The research, conducted in March by national communications consulting firm Tucker/Hall to assess the strength of Tampa Bay’s workforce in the booming IT sectors mentioned above, further indicated that our already rich talent pipeline will get much stronger in the next five years and position the area for explosive growth in these specializations. The Tampa MSA already boasts the largest e-commerce location quotient in Florida (concentration of jobs in a region relative to the rest of the U.S.) and employment in that field is expected to rise nearly 18% by 2022.Millenials 1200 x 800
 
Two other major factors are fueling Tampa Bay’s IT sector momentum.
 
First, Florida’s top 5 public universities producing IT talent have created more than 30 programs in recent years in response to emerging industry needs. Today, they are turning out graduates with the skills IT employers want most.
 
Second, the latest U.S. Census Bureau data shows that Tampa Bay’s Millennial population is the fastest growing in Florida, and is also climbing 11 to 13 percent faster than the nation as a whole.
 
The Tampa MSA’s deep concentration of seasoned IT talent coupled with the robust pipeline of graduates with degrees and certifications in the most sought-after specializations make a strong case for fast-growing IT companies to consider relocation or expansion in Tampa and Hillsborough County. Here are three compelling reasons to do so:
 
1. Tampa Bay has the best IT workforce in Florida.
 
Globally recognized corporations such as Citi, JPMorgan Chase, and Nielsen as well as those that have launched and grown here such as ConnectWise, HSN, Jabil, Raymond James, Tribridge, Tech Data and ValPak have long relied on the quality of IT talent this area offers.
 
2. Specialized IT-centric university programs are feeding our talent pipeline
 
Graduates from the major public and private universities in the state of Florida are prepared to enter jobs in Big Data, e-commerce, and cybersecurity.
 
• Tampa is a top destination for graduates with data warehousing, data scaling, data analytics, and data management specializations
• Both University of Tampa and University of South Florida (USF) offer dedicated Cybersecurity degree and certificate programs
• USF has launched the first Compliance, Risk, and Anti-Money Laundering graduate certificate program in the country, which relies on statistical data mining and other risk mitigation training of great value to information security as well as finance professionals.
 
Florida’s State University System (SUS) has produced nearly 59,000 professionals working in the IT industry today. USF has produced nearly 5,000 by itself, and more than 1,800 USF alumni claim expertise in e-commerce. Almost half – 46% – of USF’s alumni graduates who work in IT are currently employed in the Tampa Bay area.
 
3. Tampa Bay is Florida’s Millennial magnet
 
Time and again, the region makes news as a top destination for 18-34 year olds:
 
Nerdwallet a personal finance website, ranked the Tampa MSA the top destination for Millennial job seekers in the state, with St. Petersburg ranking #1 and Tampa #3.
CityObservatory has called out the Tampa MSA for a 40.6 percent growth among 25 to 34 year olds with Bachelor degrees between 2000 and 2012, when the oldest Millennials were beginning to enter the job market.
 
Our cities offer the lifestyle and career opportunities educated young IT professionals desire. Tampa and St. Petersburg’s downtowns are building new, dense mixed-use neighborhoods that are attracting thousands of young professionals – and their empty nester, baby boomer parents as well. These reinvented downtowns take full advantage of the waterfront, offer enhanced walkability, and are in close proximity to university campuses, restaurants, craft beer breweries, and myriad sports and entertainment options.
 
With such a high concentration of premier IT talent already in the region’s workforce, thousands more in the pipeline, a low cost of doing business and superb quality of life, Tampa and Hillsborough County’s IT sector is getting bigger and more competitive all the time.
 
If you’d like to learn more or schedule a site visit, please contact Steve Morey, Director of Business Recruitment, at smorey@tampabayedc.com or 813-518-2630.

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