RALEY, N.C. (WNCN) — The Triangle ranks among the best in the nation’s tech industry, according to a new report from the North Carolina Tech Association.
The new Tech Innovation Index ranks the Raleigh and Durham metro areas second and third among 110 innovative cities nationwide.
“It’s built on the strength of R&D and entrepreneurship in the field, and of course our institution is exceptionally strong,” said NC TECH President Brooks Raifford.
In the report, Raleigh and Cary ranked sixth in the national supply of tech workers, while Durham and Chapel-Hill ranked ninth.
“I think the triangular relationship can maintain this momentum as long as we lean towards our existing strengths and ensure that policy and investment continue to support those strengths,” Raiford said.
Local training colleges such as Wake Tech and Durham Tech create workforces by keeping up with new IT, health and biotechnology programmes so students can take advantage of developments in the area.
“Think about jobs, manufacturing, vaccines, other life-saving drugs, cell and gene therapy,” said JB Buxton, president of Durham Technologies. “We’re going to see these jobs continue to grow. We want our residents to take up those jobs.”
“When you combine us with great research institutions, other private universities and schools, it creates this ecosystem,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Lars said. “People move here to find opportunities. But we also want people to move here.”
In addition to North Carolina’s larger cities, NC TECH also reported smaller cities such as Wilmington and Greenville.