Missouri City seeing significant rise in IT job market

Nine years ago, the metropolitan region of Springfield, Missouri had 280 computer support specialists. In 2009 there were 1,300. Despite the bust of the dotcom bubble in the early 2000s, information technology remains an attractive and growing sector in the local economy.

“A lot of people have the misconception that IT is not a big industry here, that there are no jobs, but any company with a handful of employees will have technology needs,” said George Gibeau, department chair of computer information sciences, electronic media production and networking technology at Ozarks Technical Community College.

“From local hospitals to school districts and to companies such as Bass Pro (Shops) and O’Reilly (Auto Parts), they all have some sort of networking needs,” Gibeau said.

Between 2000 and 2009, the number of local jobs in computer and mathematical occupations grew from 1,140 to 3,440, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among various occupations within the category, computer software engineers increased in number five-fold from 100 to 500, and they commanded an annual salary of $56,930 on average in 2009.

Ken Vollmar, head of the computer science department at Missouri State University, agreed computer jobs were difficult to find 10 years ago.

“That’s no longer true,” he said.

The leapfrogging growth in the Springfield market can be attributed to the increasing application of computer technology and networking, Gibeau said.

“More and more things are put on the Internet; more and more things are put on the network; more and more things are done electronically, and there is the need to keep the networking infrastructure efficient and secure,” Gibeau said.

Carol Browning, professor of math and computer science at Drury, said “It’s the pervasiveness of computers in our society.”

p>Higher education has become increasingly dependent on technology, said Jeff Morrissey, chief information officer for Missouri State University.

As a result, the university’s information technology work force has expanded, he said.

MSU is injecting technology into classrooms to enhance teaching and learning, and the campus wants to connect with other institutions around the world for instant collaboration, Morrissey said.

Those demands have created needs to build and maintain the technology infrastructure and to train faculty and students and provide support, Morrissey said.

Local professors and professionals alike say they are confident the industry will continue to grow, demanding more talent to meet the growing needs.

“I think in this sector, everyone is looking to leverage technology for efficiency,” said Mark Forbis, vice president and chief technology officer for Jack Henry & Associates, a Monett-based financial technology company.

“The pressure on the database and on the network will continue to grow,” he said.

The rapidly changing industry is also making new demands, Forbis said.

As people turn to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, there is a need for apps, or software that can run on those devices, Forbis said.

His company, for example, has developed banking apps for its clients, including one that allows a customer to deposit a check by scanning it with a smartphone.

With the rise of social media comes the question of how to harness the new channels for marketing, Forbis said.

There are demands for information security as people move to electronic platforms for banking and other financial activities, Forbis said.

Gibeau of OTC said businesses will continue to exploit technology, not only for efficiency but also to remain competitive.

At local colleges, computer science professors say there is much more to be done with the advancing technology.

Scott Sigman, associate professor of math and computer science at Drury University, said the health care industry is pushing for automation of medical records.

“It’s just booming,” Sigman said.

At MSU, the university’s computer science program is working with the Springfield Police Department on computer forensics, Vollmar said.

Two MSU students are working with law enforcement officers to retrieve information from seized computers, Vollmar said.

Citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook, Vollmar said employment of computer software engineers is expected to increase by 32 percent between 2008 and 2018, faster than the average for all occupations.

There are different levels of IT jobs, said Morrissey of Missouri State.

To land a job in user support and desktop help, an associate degree from the local community college suffices, he said.

At OTC, Gibeau said the community college works closely with local employers in training students, making sure they possess the skills the employers are looking for.

“We give our students the foundation that they can use to go in several directions: networking technology, support specialist, systems administrator, network administrator, help desk support technician, hardware support technician,” Gibeau said. “All are geared toward entry-level jobs.”

For more complex and higher-paying jobs such as systems analysts, a bachelor’s degree usually is required, Morrissey of Missouri State said.

Workers who can manage mid- to large-scale projects are particularly desirable, and a degree in computer information systems can prepare a student for those tasks, Morrissey said.