Nearly 10,000 IT Job Openings Posted in Illinois in July, CompTIA Analysis Reveals

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Aug 18, 2016, 10:30 ET

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Aug. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers across Illinois posted nearly 10,000 job openings for core information technology (IT) workers in July, according to an analysis of labor market data by CompTIA, the IT industry trade association.

IT job postings statewide for the month totaled 9,961, with the large majority occurring in the Chicago metropolitan area (9,036).

Software and application developers, computer systems analysts and informatics specialists, project managers, systems engineer and architects, computer user support specialists and information security analysts topped the list of IT positions Illinois companies were looking to fill last month.

"These job categories are in step with the bigger trends we see in the marketplace, both locally and across the country" said Amy Carrado, senior director, research and market intelligence. "Companies are becoming more mobile, more security-focused and more cloud oriented; and they need skilled personnel to build, manage and maintain these new systems and solutions."

While every job posting does not result in a new hire, and companies may have multiple job postings for a single position, the data is an indicator of where companies are focusing their technology efforts and investments.

A range of Prairie State employers were seeking tech workers, including companies in technology, healthcare, management consulting, insurance, financial services and education.

"Technology and the tech workforce make up the engine that powers business and industry in Illinois and across the country," said Alexi Madon, director, state government affairs, Midwest, CompTIA. "That's why it's critical for the private and public sectors to work together to address the persistent shortage of IT workers which, if left unaddressed, has the potential to stall economic growth and stymie innovation."

Madon noted that that 90 percent of the core IT job postings were in the greater Chicago area, indicating that downstate Illinois has a ways to go in terms of tech placement. But she also emphasized that the demand for tech workers spans the state.

"Our research shows that even sectors that are often stereotypically viewed as 'old line, such as agriculture, mining, transportation, utilities, and construction report familiarity with emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, biometrics, robotics and drones," she said.

According to CompTIA's Cyberstates 2016 report, Illinois is home to more than 25,400 tech businesses. The state's tech industry generated a total payroll of $22.3 billion in 2015 with an average industry wage of $95,062, significantly higher than the average private sector wage of $54,600.

CompTIA IT publishes a number of research reports each year on technology employment, skills and workforce trends. To learn more, visit https://www.comptia.org/insight-tools/business?tags=it%20workforce.

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SOURCE CompTIA