This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Momentum Learning.
A recent Indeed job search for “technology” positions in the Triangle yielded almost 9,000 results. It’s a local reflection of a nationwide trend — the need for tech talent is at an all-time high.
In 2012, computerworld.com reported IT jobs were projected to grow 22 percent by 2020, and a recent CompTIA employment tracker survey revealed that software developers are the most in-demand position in tech right now. As of January, nearly 80,000 developer positions were available nationwide.
Unsurprisingly, tech companies in the Triangle are seeking solid dev talent, and when they get someone on the team who proves their value, it’s in their best interest to cultivate it.
“There is not nearly enough tech talent in the Triangle for all of the available jobs,” said Doug Kaufman, CEO of microtransit solutions company TransLoc.
This is why organizations like Momentum, an immersive coding school in Durham, are so vital to local companies like TransLoc, Spreedly and Adwerx — all of which have hired graduates from Momentum’s cohorts.
“These companies will not survive without organizations like Momentum developing the next generation of tech talent,” Kaufman continued. “Momentum doesn’t just teach people to code. Momentum teaches people to be great, collaborative team members. If startups are going to be successful, they need strong teams, not just superstars. Here at TransLoc, we look for great people, not just great developers, and we look for people who are strong collaborators. Those skills are essential, and Momentum knows that and builds it into their program.”
TransLoc hired its first Momentum graduate in January. Jamie Howard, TransLoc’s director of engineering, said they’ve been delighted at what she’s brought to the team.
Jeanette O’Brian completed Momentum’s course in the Fall of 2018 and is now an Associate Software Developer at TransLoc. (Photo Courtesy of Momentum Learning)
“Not only is she already adding technical value by delivering quality code, her dedication to continuous learning has helped engineers around her sharpen their own skills through teaching what they know,” he said.
For employees just starting out in their tech careers, feeling valued and part of the team from the get-go is important.
Reed Emmons, the vice president of engineering at real estate advertising company Adwerx, has added four engineers to his team this year so far. Last year Adwerx welcomed a Momentum grad to the team, and Emmons echoed Howard’s comments, saying the developer was able to make meaningful contributions within the first few weeks.
As someone who hires a lot of junior talent, Emmons noted his preference for Momentum over other coding schools that he’s been exposed to.
“It’s a full-time commitment for students. We find the level of hard work that they go through makes them so much more prepared to jump into a team setting,” he said.
In addition to feeling part of a team, seeing a future within the company is also significant. To accomplish this for employees, Emmons helped create a growth incentive framework that illustrates the journey from an entry-level employee to an industry thought leader, and one that is not tied to a developer’s everyday job.
Visualizing a timeline of growth gives employees something to work towards and helps them establish measurable goals.
“Hopefully what makes us special is that we are really responsive to change,” Emmons said.
Ryan Daigle, the vice president of engineering at Spreedly, a payments API company, has similar conversations with colleagues regarding talent cultivation.
“Within Spreedly, there are many different professional tracks, and we’re always having conversations about whether we are giving our people the right opportunities based on their personal preferences and what we can provide them within our business,” he said, noting the importance of pairing the right people with the right opportunities and adequate training.
Daigle, like others in the industry, is all too aware of its competitive nature and said companies need to view employees as more than paychecks.
Spreedly works with its employees to find out what drives and motivates them and then creates a plan of action. When considering someone as a manager, for example, Spreedly looks into helping the engineer come up with a path for management.
“We really value personal growth and dynamics. We’re in an environment where all those things are central to how we think about problems and solutions,” he said. “When you’re able to present more than a job, and present an ideal culture and environment people want to be in, it makes you more competitive.”
While competition for tech talent is fierce, Howard emphasized skills alone are not enough.
“We look for three things in the following order: attitude, aptitude and ability,” he said. “If a candidate has the first two, then they can gain all they’ll ever need of the third. As a mission-based company that spends a lot of our time focusing on intentional culture building, hiring people that bring more than just a list of hard skills is critical.”
This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Momentum Learning.
