A new study released by tech advocacy group Engine Advocacy showed the percentage of high tech job concentration in Washington State is almost double the national average. The study, Technology Works, ranks Washington as the top state for high-tech job concentration last year and says Seattle/Bellevue/Everett ranked fifth among metro areas.
The group said high-tech jobs have grown faster than other jobs by a ratio of three to one in the private sector since 2004. Engine said that trend is expected to continue this decade, with tech jobs expanding by 16.2 percent between 2011 and 2020. High tech workers earn 17 percent to 27 percent more than their peers in other industries, the study said. The study found that, for each job created in the local high-tech sector, approximately 4.3 jobs are created in the local non-tradable sector.
What kind of jobs are expected to surge in 2013? A study from staffing firm Robert Half Technology predicts mobile-app developer jobs will be the hottest for technology and design professionals in 2013. The average starting salary for these developers is expected to rise 9 percent, with overall compensation ranging from $92,750 to $133,500.
The research shows that as companies enhance their digital presence and boost investments in IT infrastructure, a number of other technology jobs will also likely see above-average salary gains in the coming year.
“Salaries are rising for candidates who can help organizations leverage new technologies to increase efficiencies, gain business insights and produce superior customer experiences,” said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology and The Creative Group. “In some cases, there’s a shortage of individuals available to fill these highly specialized positions, which is driving up starting compensation levels.”
Other positions expected to be in demand in 2013 are:
• Business intelligence analysts: They assist firms in making critical business decisions by gathering and analyzing data. These professionals should see a salary gain of 7.3 percent, with starting pay ranging from $94,250 to$132,500.
• Network architects: They provide the backbone of a company’s communication infrastructure by assessing business and applications requirements for corporate data and voice networks. Network architectsare forecasted to receive a 7-percent starting salary boost, raising their incomes to between $102,250 and$146,500, on average.
• Interactive creative directors: As companies of all sizes add interactive roles, businesses seek professionals with superb leadership skills and digital expertise to manage these growing teams. Interactive creative directors can anticipate a 4.9 percent bump in base compensation, with average starting salaries ranging from $95,500 to$160,000.
• Interaction designers: These professionals understand the connections among people and products and are able to step into the shoes of a company’s customers to help maximize users’ online experiences. Designers with one to five years of experience should see salary gains of 4.9 percent, raising their incomes to between $52,250 and$77,500.
• User experience (UX) designers: Since so much customer interaction happens online, companies are looking for workers who can create positive digital experiences. UX designers can expect a 4.8 percent salary increase, with starting compensation ranging between $73,750 and$110,500. [24×7]
T-Mobile Reinvents the iPhone Sales Model with No Subsidy Discounts But Better Value Plans in 2013
T-Mobile will be carrying the iPhone in 2013, but selling it in a much different way than carriers like Verizon and AT&T Wireless. In the new T-Mobile model, new customers will be required to pay full price for their phones up front, buy it on installment or bring in their own unlocked devices, but the company believes consumers will save money with its new value plans which offer customers far cheaper rates for voice and certain kinds of data.
According to T-Mobile, 80 percent of its activations in the last quarter were for value plans, which leads it to believe there’s a huge demand for this kind of a model. While the unlocked, unsubsidized price of the iPhone 5 can range between $650 to $850 depending on the model, installment plans, such as selling it for $99 and then charging $15 to $20 a month in payments over 20 months are rumored. Instead of paying a “mortgage” on your phone, T-Mobile will educate consumers they will actually save money over the length of a two-year contract by paying a lower value plan rate.
A report on GigaOM concludes that in the next six months T-Mobile will likely complete the reconfiguration of HSPA+ on the 1900 MHz PCS band, which will make its 3G network iPhone compatible nationwide (today only its 2G service works on the iPhone). Or Apple may want to wait for T-Mobile’s LTE network, which the carrier plans to launch in the latter half of 2013. If Apple does wait for LTE, that almost certainly means T-Mobile will have to wait for the next generation of iPhone. [24×7]
