Tech-talent uptake: All four high-tech sectors adding jobs—including technology manufacturing
By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 10/22/2007 2:00:00 PM
The AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association) says an employment study based on government data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the U.S. high-tech industry added 118,500 jobs between January-June 2007—a 2-percent rise, for a total of 5.94 million.
The January-to-June 2007 tech-job growth lags that of the U.S. private sector, which rose by 3.3 percent over that period.
The report looks at four sectors within the high-tech industry: high-tech manufacturing, communications services, software services, and engineering and tech services.
High-tech manufacturing employment in the U.S. is up in the first six months of 2007. Technology manufacturers added 1,800 net jobs in the U.S. from January to June of 2007—a total of 1.34 million jobs. This represents a slight 0.1-percent increase.
High-tech services employment in the U.S. also is up, adding 116,600 net jobs in the U.S. from January-June 2007. This represents a 2.6-percent rise. Within tech services, the most significant growth occurred in engineering and tech services, which added 52,600 jobs—a 3.3-percent rise. Software services added 51,100 jobs—also a 3.3-percent rise. Communications services increased by 12,900 jobs, or 1.0 percent, from January-June 2007.
"This is the third straight year that the U.S. tech industry is adding jobs," says AeA President and CEO William T. Archey. "It's also the first year since the bursting of the high-tech bubble that all four tech sectors are experiencing job growth. This benefits the U.S. economy greatly because tech industry wages pay 86 percent more than the average private sector wage and support numerous other jobs.
“As good as this news is, we continue to believe tech industry job growth would be even more robust if U.S. policymakers were dealing with the challenges posed by heightened global competition and the lack of available qualified workers,” continues Archey. “Congress and the President acknowledged these challenges by passing the America Competes Act in August. This legislation, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, expands programs to attract undergraduates to pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math [STEM] and introduces creative programs to enhance the capabilities of math and science teachers. The tech industry desperately needs this talent."
All data is compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Survey, and is preliminary. This report is not comparable to AeA’s annual Cyberstates report, which examines the high-tech industry for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Download the report at www.aeanet.org/cs.
