by C.J. Gustafson
ComputerSchools.com Contributing Writer
June 1, 2005
The first settlers in the Atlanta area lived in peace with their Native American
neighbors. They were small farmers who did not own many slaves and were strong
in their religious beliefs. The area was primarily quiet farmland until it was
selected as the end terminal for the Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1836. The
city, which was originally called Marthasville, was founded a year later and
the railroad flourished, creating a boom that brought new residents and businesses.
Transportation has remained an important mainstay of Atlanta's economy, providing
jobs for the nearly 5 million people living in the greater Atlanta metropolitan
area. However, with 13 Fortune 500 companies calling the city home, other industries,
including computer technology, have grown dramatically in recent years. Individuals
with computer degrees and technical certifications have many career opportunities
in a variety of settings. Fields with especially high demand for trained employees
include wireless technologies and the IT security arena.
Many leading national business organizations and publications have recognized Atlanta's outstanding business environment. In March of 2004, the editors of Inc. magazine selected the city as the number one city for doing business in America. More specifically, according to a NewsWeek study, Atlanta is ranked among the top five fastest growing high-technology metro areas in the nation.
Computers & Communication
Some of the biggest names in technology are located in the city. The top five
employers in the sector include BellSouth Corporation, with 18,000 employees,
AT&T Corporation, which employs 10,200 individuals locally, IBM Corporation
with 8,400 people, Lucent Technologies Inc. with 7,400, and Hewlett-Packard
Company, which provides 3,300 local jobs. In addition, the national Internet
service provider EarthLink is based in Atlanta and was voted the 2004 Best Employer
Overall by the Women In Technology group, which is part of Technology
Association of Georgia (TAG). TAG, an important resource for tech professionals
and companies, also includes the Southeastern Software Alliance and the Technology
Marketing Association.
Other industry resources located in the city include Georgia Tech's Advanced
Technology Development Center, and the Atlanta chapters of the
Association of Information Technology Professionals and the MIT
Enterprise Forum.
Supportive Schools
It is not unusual for Atlanta educational entities to sponsor or support technology
businesses and development. According to a study by the Atlanta Regional Consortium
for Higher Education, Atlanta ranks second nationally in the production of engineering
and related technology graduates and fourth in computer science degrees.
There are over 50 colleges and technical schools in the Atlanta area as well as numerous private computer and technology training centers. In addition to those schools listed above, a partial list includes Bauder College, Herzing College, Clark Atlanta University, Department of Computer and Information Science,
Emory University, Department of Math and Computer
Science, Georgia Institute of Technology,
College of Computing, Georgia State University,
Department of Computer Science, Morehouse
College, Department of Computer Science, and Spelman
College, Computer Science Department.
The Art Institute, DeVry University, American InterContinental University
Private training centers that also offer Microsoft certification include Tech Net Training Centers, IntelliNet Corporation, National Business Group, Inc., and New Horizons Computer Learning Centers.
Atlanta is an ideal place to study for a computer career and obtain employment after completing training, with information and communications driving the city's technology expansion. As described by J. Whitted, Directory of Training for TechNet Training Centers described, "Atlanta is the mecca for jobs in the IT market. Just ride along the GA 400 corridor, especially up on Windward Parkway where you have all your big broadband giants! You can get a career (not a job) -- there is a difference in the metropolitan Atlanta area."
Perhaps this diverse and thriving city holds the key to your computer career!
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