Missouri was the fastest-growing state for tech jobs the last two years but, this year, it slipped from first to 10th.
The tech career website Dice.com released its report this week. It looked at the highest percentage of job growth and the most new positions added using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dice.com found that technology jobs are growing across the country, including a 2.1 percent bump in Missouri. The fastest pace so far this year was in Texas with a nearly 6 percent growth rate.
Dice.com President ShravanGoli said Missouri’s more than 2 percent growth meant 700 new tech positions in the first half of this year.
"That’s a slowdown from the 1,900 positions created in the first half of 2013, but it’s still growth," Goli said.
Goli said there are about 34,000 tech professionals in Missouri and, on average, 825 tech jobs are posted on Dice.com daily in St. Louis.
Most of those jobs are in financial services, healthcare and defense. But, Goli said, St. Louis' startup scene, including ITEN, is helping create tech jobs. ITEN (IT Entrepreneurial Network) helps mentor and link entrepreneurs in tech startups to services in the region.
Jim Brasunas, ITEN's executive director, said the Dice.com ranking the last two years was a good indicator of the entrepreneurial climate in Missouri and St. Louis. He said he isn’t concerned about losing the spot.
"The fact is that we’re still growing pretty well," Brasunas said. "Being number 10 out of 50 states is not too shabby. I think it’s still a reason for optimism and celebration, although it would be nice to be number one for three years in a row."
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