by C.J. Gustafson
ComputerSchools.com Contributing Writer
June 14, 2005
The geographic and economic area referred to as Orange County, California is
comprised of 34 incorporated cities covering nearly 800 square miles in southern
California between Los Angeles and San Diego. Santa Ana, the county seat, has
a population of just under 350,000 people. Other larger cities include Anaheim
with 343,000 residents, Huntington Beach with nearly 200,000 people, Irvine
and Garden Grove with approximately 170,000, and Orange and Fullerton with populations
on the plus and minus side of 135,000 respectively. All totaled, the 34 cities
and unincorporated areas in Orange County make up one large metropolitan region
with over 3,000,000 people.
Fame & Fortune
First populated with Catholic missions such as San Juan Capistrano, then with expansive
cattle and sheep ranches, and later produce farms, Orange County was formally
organized as a political entity separate from the County of Los Angeles in 1889.
In more recent times, the area has become famous for a variety of attractions
and features including theme parks, research and high tech industries, and the
glamorous beach lifestyle portrayed in "The O.C." television series, which is
contrasted by the Orange County Choppers series that depicts a more edgy, gritty
atmosphere. In reality, Orange County is about all of these diverse personalities
and much more.
In addition to 42 miles of coastline, 25 shopping centers, several world famous
theme parks and some of the highest valued real estate in the country, the area
is also home to approximately 80,000 businesses including powerhouses like Walt
Disney Company with 21,000 employees; the University of California, Irvine with
15,500 employees; and Boeing, which employs over 11,000 people. In addition
to these large organizations, Orange County is filled with companies of all
sizes that are involved with technology on many levels. A large number of these
entities are leaders in the computer technology field.
OC's Top Technology
According to the Location OC website, computer hardware and electronics "…remains Orange County's largest high technology sector and with the recent location of Cisco Systems within the University of California, Irvine's Research Park and the phenomenal growth of such OC companies as Broadcom, Conexant and Kingston Technology, continued growth in this sector is anticipated. Further opportunities are developing in sector niches including electronic subassembly and components, MEMS and other sensors and factory automation technologies."
Other well-known computer hardware and electronics companies located in Orange County include Unisys, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, and Raytheon Systems.
However, the real growth story in the computer technology industry is in the
field of software and new media. It is the county's fastest growing technology
sector with an amazing 190% growth in the past six years. Orange County companies
in this group include Unigraphics Solutions, Inc., DPRC/Compuware, ADP Automatic
Data Processing, Optum, Inc., and Sage Software. The TriZetto Group, Inc. and
Micro General Corporation have been recognized as two of the fastest growing
software companies in the region.
Orange County is also home to other high-tech industries that rely heavily on computers. Fields such as telecommunications, biomedical, engineering, energy & environment technologies, automotive design, and defense and aerospace also offer interesting alternative employment opportunities in the technology field.
Help From Higher Ed
These industries are supported by approximately 20 public and private higher education facilities and many more industry training centers. In addition to programs at large state university campuses, like that at the University of California, Irvine, Department of Computer Science, there also are smaller colleges and universities that offer certification and degrees in computer technology.
The Art Institute of California - Orange County campus is located in Santa Ana. Westwood College of Technology and ITT Technical Institute have Anaheim campuses. DeVry University has a campus in Irvine
Students at these institutions can earn certificates and degrees in Computer Science, Computer Programming and Security, Networking, Information Technology, Computer Repair, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer Animation/Computer Graphics, Web Design and Development, and other computer technology fields.
Training centers such as New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, Inc. and Soft Train also provide hands-on experience and Microsoft certification.
>From theme parks to beautiful beaches, cutting edge technology companies and nationally acclaimed educational facilities, Orange County has much to offer computer professionals who prefer to learn and work in a setting that includes a west coast location, a warmer climate, and an expansive metropolitan area.
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