1. A wave of retirements at Sandia Labs will shake up the IT jobs market.
Because of a change in retirement benefits coming in 2011, quite a number of senior scientists and engineers will choose to retire in 2010. Other than the people who outright leave town, this will have three certain effects:
- Some of these people will simply pass through a revolving door, right back into consulting at their old programs at $300-400 per hour. Aside from the benefit the money will bring to Albuquerque, this will have a zero-sum effect on the local jobs situation.
- Others will be out there competing with you for IT positions. But don’t count on it, unless you’re already a senior-level project manager or software engineer.
- Many of the best will start new companies, instantly creating a new demand for IT products and services, from PC support to software development.
2. The HP support center will keep hiring, but not at the rate some expect.
Their target was approximately 1200 employees, which they may eventually reach, but I’m betting it’s not in 2010. While HP stands fair to go head-to-head with IBM for business services, the economy (in the sense of jobs) just isn’t coming roaring back. It’s only roaring back for bankers and CEOs (in the form of bonuses) so far.
3. Simmering demand is going to continue heating up in the Duke City.
Everybody’s budgets are tight and getting tighter, but businesses have to function in a digital world, so they have to have some form of IT support. Data still has to be captured, cleaned and stored; networks have to run; proprietary software has to be developed; Internet presences must be managed. And oh yeah, the V.P.’s system won’t boot….
So there will be more opportunities in temp work and consulting. This is going to be a gravy time if you’re the run-your-own-business type. But even if you’d prefer a regular job, temping is the best thing I’ve ever done to get the feel of an organization, and to get job offers.
4. Medical practices are going to be taking serious looks at EMR.
The planets are aligning: the ARRA has substantial funds (I’m hearing up to 85% per practice) for implementations of Electronic Medical Records – money that will dry up after 2011. And HIPAA regulations tighten in 2011, 2013 and 2015, forcing providers into electronic patient records and billing submissions.
5. Intel will expand its outsourcing of production
If I were an investor, I’d like Intel’s relationship with Taiwan Semiconductor (TSI). If I worked for Intel’s Rio Rancho facility, I might not be so warm on it. Intel is sharing the Atom processor’s architecture with TSI in a bid for the rapidly growing mobile market, which means the hot, new development and production going forward will be … in Taiwan. I wouldn’t be surprised to see 2010 dealing badly with the Rio Rancho workforce.
The picture is, as always, mixed. I wouldn’t get overly hopeful, but I wouldn’t get overly pessimistic either. Times like the present are ripe with opportunities for new businesses. But that’s fodder for another canon. I’ll look back next year and see how I did. For now, keep driving yourself up the value chain!