by C.J. Gustafson
ComputerSchools.com Contributing Writer
June 3, 2005
In 1838, Major William Lauderdale and his group of Tennessee Volunteers were
operating along the east coast of Florida, battling the Seminole Indians. Three
forts would eventually be built in his name, including one that the city is
named for that was located at the fork of the New River. The City of Fort Lauderdale
was incorporated in 1911 and soon became known as a resort town. Despite the
depression and devastating hurricanes, it grew to be the home of MTV's Spring
Break and a multitude of rowdy partying college students enjoying the weather,
beaches, and never-ending entertainment. The famous movie "Where the Boys Are"
depicted the city as the place to be for socializing, sun, and fun.
What started out as good fun eventually became mayhem and destruction, with constant traffic jams, public nudity, and vandalism becoming everyday occurrences. But in the 1980s, Fort Lauderdale residents decided to take back their city and put an end to the Spring Break chaos. The mayor went on Good Morning America and said that college kids on Spring Break were no longer welcome in the city and that they were focusing on developing a family atmosphere.
Located on the Atlantic Ocean between Miami and Palm Beach, with over 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, and some of the best beaches in the country, Fort Lauderdale was the perfect playground for Spring Breakers, and they were reluctant to give up their slice of paradise. But eventually the push for a more low-key, luxurious environment won out, and today Fort Lauderdale is a top vacation destination for families and has also become home to over 160,000 residents living in an area that encompasses more than 33 square miles.
As the city and surrounding areas changed its reputation and focus, it embraced
technology and business. As Francine Mason wrote in a press release for the
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, "The area that, four decades
ago was known to the world as 'Where the Boys Are,' is now the heart of the
fast emerging new Internet Coast and a magnet for global business leaders."
Fort Lauderdale is quickly expanding in key industry segments including software, web design, communications and electronic publishing. Among the high technology companies that call Fort Lauderdale home are Citrix Systems, a multi-national company involved with application server software; SportsLine.com, a leading Internet-based sports media company; and Xcelerate, a top e-business consulting company. Other technology businesses with locations in Fort Lauderdale include Motorola, AT&T, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft Latin America, and Voicestream Wireless.
Along with other areas in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale has developed a thriving computer and technology base, both in regards to employment and to education and organizations related to these industries have sprung up throughout the region. The South Florida Technology Alliance is a non-profit business forum that fosters the growth of IT, hardware, software and services firms headquartered in South Florida. The InternetCoast is a regional initiative promoting South Florida as a global science and technology hub. The area known as the Internet Coast is located on the Southeast coast of Florida. Its northern-most city is Palm Beach and extends as far south as Miami.
InternetCoast Web describes South Florida's top 100 technology companies and likens the area to
California's Silicon Valley saying that "…South Florida continues to attract
a wide range of technology companies who thrive on the rich labor pool left
by the downsizing of major public technology firms as well as the many educational
institutions specializing in technology curricula. In addition to computers,
software and those who service networks - the technology sectors of aviation,
biotech, communications, transportation, marine and other related industries
find South Florida increasingly attractive."
When it comes to educational opportunities, Fort Lauderdale has several state colleges and technical institutions. In addition, the ITT Technical Institute, The Art Institute and American InterContinental University all have campuses in the city.
Students at these colleges can earn degrees and certification in Computer Animation, Computer Graphics, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer Programming, Networking and Security, Information Technology, Web Design and Web Development, Computer Repair, and other specialties in the computer science field.
In addition, industry training centers such as FastTrain
offer hands-on education and Microsoft certifications.
People looking for the wild and crazy Spring Break atmosphere once associated with Fort Lauderdale will have to find a different party town these days. But for computer technology students and graduates who want a warm, sunny beach community that is on the cutting edge of bringing technology to the masses, Fort Lauderdale has become a top choice.
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