The Skinny blog is written by Rick Smith, editor and co-founder of WRAL Tech Wire and business editor of WRAL.com.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – The daily average of advertised high-tech job openings across North Carolina fell again in May, this time dropping some 8 percent.
Openings have fallen two straight months.
Want more bad news? The North Carolina Technology Association doesn’t see any “exciting changes” coming.
There is no way to “spin” this news other than it’s bad. SkillProof, a national firm, notes that IT job openings across the country also were down, although only slightly at 0.3 percent. Still, the report describes the news as “a disappointing result.”
The economy continues to struggle, even in the tech sector which has been a bright spot and some job skills remain in high demand.
A mixture of news reports and studies over the past few weeks only muddle the jobs picture. Some surveys are positives while others are mixed or grim. Citrix plans to add jobs in Raleigh, and United Technologies has big plans in Charlotte while Bandwidth,com is moving to Raleigh from Cary with plans to add 200 people.
Now comes the NCTA report.
In its “IT Job Trends Report” for May with data provided by talent management firm SkillProof, NCTA reported early Thursday that the daily average of advertised information technology job openings across the state fell some 8 percent to 5,080 from 5,510 in May. The May numbers were down from 5,670 in March.
Two months seems to make a trend.
“IT labor demand in North Carolina is declining again,” NCTA and SkillProof warn.
“For the fall we don’t expect any exciting changes in the IT market,” the report adds.
Why?
It’s the economy which is so intertwined with our tortured political process.
“The upcming discussion about curbing national debt, negative economic impacts from the European debt crisis (perceived or real) and the uncertain outcome of the presidential election are likely to make employers hesitant to expand their operations,” the report says.
