Hartford Business Journal

17 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | May 9, 2022 TOTAL PROJECT SIZE: 133,000 SF Building For Your Success GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS ACADEMY HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT PDS served in a Construction Manager at Risk for this LEED Gold K-12 School in Hartford CT. This project consisted of a two story renovation and addition with demolition and remediation occurring to 110,000 square feet of the building. An addition consisting of 23,000 square feet was also completed. This entire project included a new kitchen, classrooms, cafeteria, gymnasium, multipurpose rooms, exam rooms, and offices. The Global Communications Academy is a participant in the International Baccalaureate program empowering school-aged students to develop the skills necessary to shape a successful future. SPOTLIGHT ON: EDUCATION 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 | 860.242.8586 | pdsec.com THINK • PLAN • BUILD Hartford-region tech job stats $92,096 – Median IT professional salary in 2021 21,683 – Number of open tech jobs posted in 2021 3.5% — Anticipated growth in IT jobs in the next five years Source: The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) direct, local contact as well. In an increasingly unstable world, it makes sense to shore up supply lines, even when it comes to talent, he said. "The world has become a bit unstable, so having your supply chain closer to you is safer and stronger than having it far away," Guay said. "And labor is part of the supply chain." Mark Boxer, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the University of Hartford, is one of the people trying to link local talent with the incoming technology companies. In Boxer's prior job as health insurer Cigna Corp.'s global chief information officer, he helped recruit Infosys to Hartford. Insurers, healthcare organizations and manufacturers are investing more deeply into technology, data, analytics and automation, Boxer said. Among other impacts, it is creating increased demand for IT talent, he said. "The stars and moons are sort of aligned where you have this demand for technology talent, you have investment flowing into those new areas and then you have these partners that want to cultivate relationships with [Hartford-area] companies," Boxer said. "So, the stars and moons are sort of aligned for, I think, the Hartford region becoming a technology hub." The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), in March, ranked the metro Hartford area in 19th place on its latest list of the "Top 20 Best Tech Cities for IT Jobs." Launched in 2018, the list is based on prior-year, jobs-posting data, cost of living and projected job growth. Boston dropped off the list this year. New York placed 16th. The Hartford-metro area tech sector proved resilient to pandemic impacts, according to CompTIA, posting 21,683 open tech jobs in 2021. Nearly half of those were for software developers and engineers; IT project managers; and network engineers and architects, according to CompTIA. Top employers included Cigna, Travelers, Accenture, Deloitte and CVS Health, according to the association, which also noted Infosys' stated target of 1,000 hires by 2023. "As one of the best cities for tech jobs, the Hartford area is a great new addition to the Tech Town Index and one that will surely be on the upswing as innovation continues to prosper in Connecticut," reads the CompTIA report. One question that remains is whether Greater Hartford and Connecticut in general can produce enough tech talent to satisfy IT worker demand. When General Electric announced plans in 2016 to move its headquarters to Boston, it cited a need for a larger tech talent pool among the reasons. However, the world has changed significantly since then, as employers, particularly tech companies, increasingly develop their own training programs and place less emphasis on traditional four-year degrees, particularly for more entry- level positions. For example, GalaxE.Solutions Inc. said it will hire 60 graduates from the Hartford-based nonprofit Girls for Technology's service desk training program, which will train young people, particularly Hartford residents between the ages of 18 and 29 who have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Infosys has established a training program with Trinity College, traditionally known as a liberal arts school. Big fish, small state Peter Denious, CEO AdvanceCT, said his state-funded economic development agency is talking with other tech companies, attempting to attract them to Hartford and beyond. Hartford has a potential to become not only a magnet for IT companies but also insurance technology companies, he said. In addition to its strategic location, affordability and quality of life, Connecticut offers easier access to top decision-makers when compared to bigger states with larger metro areas, Denious said. "In a relatively small state, you can stand out and can work with economic development leaders," Denious said. "Whereas if you go to New York or Boston or some other location, it's just harder for them. There are more competitors for airtime and attention." David Griggs, president and CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance, credited the city's captains of industry with influencing tech companies to take office spaces. There is utility for both the client and the service company, but there is an element of altruism as well, Griggs said. "Most of our big employers look at what they spend and where they do and see how it can benefit the community they live in," Griggs said. "This is economic development being practiced at every level."

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