RALEIGH – The number of technology job openings for roles based in North Carolina increased by 52% from a year ago and hit a new high, according to a new report from the North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH).
The monthly report, which tracks the number of available job openings across the state and its metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), compares January 2022 with January 2021. Every region of the state saw percentage gains with regard to job postings, according to the report.
Across the state, there were 47,778 technology job roles listed as available in January 2022, with 16,925 openings in the Charlotte MSA, 14,390 openings in the Raleigh-Cary MSA, and 4,827 openings in the Durham-Chapel Hill MSA, the report found.
The prior high mark was November 2021, according to the report’s data, with 47,739 openings. October 2021 and December 2021 also saw more than 46,600 openings, according to the data.
“IT job openings in January resume their upward trajectory, reaching a new high,” said Brooks Raiford,” said Brooks Raiford, CEO of NC TECH, in an email releasing the report.
“It is common for hiring to pick back up in the first quarter after moderating in the final months of the previous year, so we hope to see continued growth in the coming months,” Raiford added.
13-Months of NC Technology Job Postings. Report produced by the NC TECH Association. (Data source: Gartner TalentNeuron)
Across the state
According to the report, all metropolitan statistical areas saw an increase in technology job openings. The latest WRAL TechWire jobs report, which looks at current openings, found that despite technology roles increasing, the overall market for jobs in the Triangle is seeing some mixed numbers.
But technology roles are increasing everywhere across North Carolina, the NC TECH report found, with increases in every metropolitan statistical area.
Goldsboro, North Carolina, saw the largest percentage increase of any MSA in the state, with a gain of 1,518% of openings, with 275 available roles in January 2022.
New Bern saw 349 openings, up 546%. Greensboro-High Point saw an increase of 190% year-over-year, with 2,144 job openings posted in January 2022.
Charlotte’s openings increased by 61%, while Raleigh’s increased by 33%, the lowest percentage increase of any MSA studied in the report. Durham-Chapel Hill was up 42%, Wilmington was up 35%, and Burlington was up 34%.
In other regions of the state, Asheville saw a 40% increase, Hickory saw a 43% increase, and Greenville saw a 63% increase.
Fayetteville saw an increase of 91% and now has 1,529 job openings, while Winston-Salem experienced an increase of 92% and currently has 1,137 openings.
Rocky Mount has the fewest job openings of any MSA in the report, with 66, but that is a gain of 154% year-over-year. Jacksonville is up 129% with 428 openings currently.
High-tech job openings continue to surge across NC; 2022 outlook strong
Top 10 Most In-Demand Roles
According to the report, the most in-demand technology roles come with the job titles of:
- Software engineer
- Senior software engineer
- Project manager
- Data engineer
- Devops engineer
- Senior data engineer
- Java developer
- Senior analyst
- Software developer
- Network engineer
These firms, organizations have most job openings across Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston counties
Top 10 Credentials
The report also tracks the credentials and certifications that are most in demand, based on the job postings. In January 2022, the most in demand skills and credentials were:
- Certified Info Systems Security Professional
- Security Clearance
- Secret Security Clearance
- Certified Scrum Master
- Certified Information Security Manager
- Certified Information Systems Auditor
- Cisco Certified Network Associate
- Project Management Institute
- Cisco Certified Network Professional
- Top Secret Sensitive Compartmented Information Clearance
