LEHI, UTAH (ABC 4 News) – A “help wanted” sign is out all over Utah. Companies are looking for anyone with a degree in computer technology or related fields.
The state now ranks among the best in the nation when it comes to creating new tech jobs.
In Lehi, north of Thanksgiving Point, you can look in any direction and see cranes dotting the skyline. In fact, we are told, there are more cranes at that location that anywhere in the nation.
Big names like Adobe and AtTask are moving in, along with many other computer technology related businesses. In fact, there are now thousands within an hour of Salt Lake City.
Eric Morgan, CEO of AtTask, which integrates social media technology with business management software, says there is only one Silicon Valley, and it’s in California. But, Utah has become “Silicon Slopes” and that title is more about what the state has to offer. “I think it’s a great place to work, and a great place to live.”
A growing number of companies are recognizing the benefits of Utah’s quality of life. In 2011, Utah tech sector jobs jumped dramatically from 65-thousand to 75-thousand. At the same time, Utah became the second fastest job creation state in the nation.
Glen Mella, who is just starting up a software company, says it's no coincidence, and there's competition for skilled employees. He says engineers are especially in demand. “They are having difficulty filling all of the engineering jobs that they have.” He says the pay range includes jobs well into six figures. He says high tech jobs bring other jobs as well, from human resources to marketing.
Utah is also marketing itself as a good place to do business. Morgan says the Utah leadership understands the balance between taxes and job creation. "There's a conscious effort to always understand what the best things are to create business, that are going to create jobs; that are going to create a good economy."
Thousands of technology jobs are expected to be created in Utah in the next five years including those at the National Security Agency’s Data Base. It accounts for some of the cranes on the horizon west of Lehi. Construction on all of these new high tech homes is also creating hundreds of jobs.
