CATEGORY C – BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Information Technology and the information technology industry has a far reaching impact on local employment, the local economy and our quality of life. The high tech sector, including information technology, accounts for a very significant portion of our local economy. A healthy community requires a healthy industry with sufficient jobs and a workforce to meet industry needs. Technology literacy, fluency and specialty skills training is becoming a requirement for more employment opportunities, even in entry-level positions. In addition, small business increasingly needs sufficient information technology capacity to survive and flourish. This section tracks the workforce and industry needs and impacts to our local community.

A. Workforce Needs

Businesses and citizens need computer skills in order to maintain a healthy economy. These indicators examine the demand and distribution of employment in the context of IT requirements and skills.

a) Basic Technology Literacy and Employment
How important is basic technology literacy to finding
employment?

INDICATORS

Bar graph: Total jobs in the area, % that require basic technology skills, % of information technology professionals

Percentage of jobs (based on a sample) listed in the Seattle Time Employment Classifieds that list computer skills as a pre-requisite for employment.

b) Local Workforce
Are local students moving into IT fields? Are we meeting our IT workforce needs with local people?

INDICATORS

Demographic breakdown of local graduating high-school students who plan to pursue an IT degree after graduation.

Demographics of local graduates from four year IT programs based on current educational data.

Percent of local hires and local contracts given to IT professionals based on a survey of employers.

Number of annual foreign visas applied for by local companies for foreign IT professionals.

The Information Technology Indicators Project is part of the City of Seattle Department of Information Technology Community Technology Program in cooperation with the volunteer Citizens Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB).

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