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Jobs and salaries are increasing in South Florida’s technology industry, according to a survey related to the annual ITPalooza conference.

An online and telephone survey of 200 tech professionals, conducted by the organizers of ITPalooza and South Florida Technology Alliance, found that 91 percent of South Florida employers said they plan to hire, and 60 percent of IT professionals are willing to consider new opportunities. In 2017, 53 percent of tricounty workers surveyed said they’d consider a new job.

On the salary front:

  • 77 percent of respondents said salaries are rising for IT positions, compared with 57 percent in 2017.
  • 49 percent said salaries have increased by up to 5 percent.
  • 37 percent said salaries have increased more than 5 percent.
  • 14 percent said salaries are flat.

But while tech talent is in demand, a tight labor market is driving employers to look outside the tri-county region even more than usual, because they can’t find the people with the skills they need, survey respondents said.

“Competition is fierce,” said Alex Funkhouser, ITPalooza co-founder and CEO of Miami Beach-based technology staffing firm SherlockTalent.

To attract talent, South Florida companies are “creating compelling advantages” around new technologies, such as artificial intelligence or machine learning.

Of those surveyed, 66 percent of hiring managers said there is not enough talent to go around in South Florida, while 34 percent said there is ample talent. Last year, 73 percent said there wasn’t enough talent in the region, and 27 percent said there was.

Skills in the shortest supply are those related to cybersecurity experts, artificial intelligence and data scientists, specialty engineers and software developers, according to the survey.

Yet 74 percent of respondents said that local universities are producing the talent needed by the IT industry.

The survey results come about a month before the ITPalooza conference, which is set for 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd.

The conference has about 2,000 registrants and will feature 50 speakers including keynote speaker Jim McKelvey, co-founder of mobile payments company Square in San Francisco, and founder of LaunchCode, the St. Louis-based nonprofit provides training and apprenticeships.

“ITPalooza 2018 is a celebration of technologists in South Florida and a great way to support IT training and give back to our community,” said Tammy Kennedy, president of the South Florida Technology Alliance and event co-chair.

By: Marcia Heroux Pounds Contact Reporter South Florida Sun Sentinel

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