You may have heard that the Piedmont Triangle region is one of the best places to look for technology jobs in the United States. Whether that fact (which is true, by the way) has influenced your decision to move to Raleigh, North Carolina, or not, you should definitely have a look at the technology sector if you're going to be seeking a job when you arrive. Don't discount the sector if you don't know the difference between an amprobe clamp meter and a capacitor, there are many technology jobs that require only that you have a working knowledge of word processing. Here are some places to start when you're going around with resumes.
Private Sector
Research Triangle Park is the primary reason for Raleigh and sister cities Chapel Hill and Durham to be listed on the prime technology job spots list. Built in 1959, this park is shared between the three cities and often compared to Silicon Valley. Over 39,000 people work there in jobs from internet project management to the development of new vaccines. Among the private companies and non-profit groups who have large operations at Research Triangle Park are BASF, Cisco Systems, Integrated Laboratory Systems, Nortel, Sony Ericsson, and Verizon. This creates opportunities for a variety of technology trained people, including computer programmers, electronic designers, network engineers, and operations specialists.
Government
Private companies aren't the only ones who have their fingers in the Research Triangle pie, however. There are several sections of government, both state and local, with operations at the park that may be looking for new hirees that can pass the government's rigorous screening process. The United States Forest Service, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the National Institute of Environmental and Health Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control have all made their presence known at the park. Increasing global technology levels mean that even the forest service is delving into imaging technology and DVD replication. Toronto government workers will be familiar with this process.
Education
Those technology specialists who don't want to spend all day staring at a computer screen or instructing electric tubing cutters via the web might consider passing on their knowledge to students. Raleigh schools teach basic technology awareness as early as elementary school, with private and public post-secondary institutes getting into more specialized programs. Some places to look into are North Carolina State University, Wake Technical College, ECPI College of Technology, and the School of Communication Arts.
Media
Technology-trained workers with a thirst for more knowledge and a sense of adventure may be happier working in a media setting than in a lab. Broadcast networks like CBS 5 and CW 22 need experts to advise on technology like cameras and computers as well as computer-oriented people to maintain the networks whose cables run through the wire ducts overhead. There are four local affiliate TV stations in Raleigh, twenty-one radio stations, one online newspaper and five print journals to choose from. Take your resume to all of them just to be thorough.
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