RALEIGH – Companies across North Carolina continue to search for high-tech workers with openings in August surging to the second highest total for 2018. And the demand for software developers is the most needed skill while Charlotte is the hottest tech job market, according to a new report from the NC Technology Association.

Total advertised job openings last month totaled 23,432 – just off the 2018 high of 23,748 in June. Jobs climbed from 22,813 in July.

Job openings soared 20 percent higher year-over-year from August 2017’s 19,411.

And the most open positions are for software writers at 4,431. That’s up nearly 48 percent from a year ago.

Demand for computer systems engineers and architects also surged, climbing 38 percent to 1,644.

The next three most in-demand skills were:

  • Computer Systems Analysts 2,672 +2.6%
  • Computer User Support Specialists 2,588 +2.8%
  • Network + Computer Systems Administrators 2,512 +20.1%

“August IT job openings rebounded from the previous month, notching the second highest number of openings in the past year,” said Brooks Raiford, CEO of NC TECH.  “Additionally, job openings were up in all of the top ten occupations,” he noted.

The most needed skills:

  • Java 4,238
  • Software Development 3,878
  • Structured Query Language 3,407
  • Linux 3,035
  • JavaScript 2,566
  • Systems Development Life Cycle 2,468
  • Python 2,435
  • Microsoft Office 2,387
  • Quality Assurance 2,384
  • Application Development 2,334

Here’s how the state’s top metros rank in job openings with the percentage indicating year-over-year change:

  1. Charlotte/Concord/Gastonia 7,471 ,+4.3%
  2. Raleigh 7,214, +24.9%
  3. Durham/Chapel Hill 2,940, +61.4%
  4. Fayetteville 936, +1.7%
  5. Greensboro/High Point 729, +6.3%
  6. Winston-Salem 414, +12.8%
  7. Wilmington 257, +24.8%
  8. Asheville 173, +32.1%
  9. Hickory/Lenoir/Morgantown 154,  +1.3%
  10. Greenville 115, +15.0%

The top ten tech highers:

  • Oracle
  • IBM
  • Bank Of America
  • ACCENTURE
  • Wells Fargo
  • Deloitte
  • Cisco
  • Verizon
  • Covance
  • XPO Logistics, Inc.

The newest and previous IT Job reports are available www.nctech.org/research.