CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - February 16, 2011) - The availability of technology talent remains in short supply in the Illinois economy, with more open positions than qualified candidates. According to the latest research from Dice.com, Chicago is the 4th largest metro area for technology jobs availability, posting a 40% growth in year-to-year comparisons for jobs posted and over 3,000 open positions.
The ITA CityLIGHTS Awards celebrates some of the many successes made possible by talented individuals attracted to and retained in Illinois. Celebrating the successful companies and individuals who are driving the industry showcases the growth and interesting companies that call Chicago home, creating allure for potential employees.
"The lifeblood of the current and future Illinois technology industry is talent," said Fred Hoch, President, ITA. "ITA is dedicated to growing the local technology industry, which is leading the economic recovery of our region. We know it takes talented technologists to achieve those goals. We will continue to emphasize the need for talent in our region with the community, industry, and government."
The 2011 ITA CityLIGHTS Award Categories, described below, includes three new awards:
- Write-In Award: Of the people, by the people, for the people! This award will be created based on public input. Nominations are for this award category.
- New Concept Award: Presented to the company or individual regardless of size and status of the company with the best new technology-focused concept of the year.
- Best Strategic Use of Technology Award: Presented to the non-tech organization who has leveraged technology to provide a differentiated product or service, or has transformed the norm in their industry.
Continuing awards, including:
- CityLIGHTS Award: Presented to an individual or business that actively and consistently supports the growth of the Illinois technology industry through demonstrated collaborative involvement, driving awareness of the community on a national level.
- CEO of the Year Award: Presented to the CEO who has led extraordinary business growth of their technology company over the past year.
- Technologist of the Year Award: Presented to the individual whose talent has championed true technology innovation, either through new applications of existing technology or the development of technology to achieve a truly unique product or service.
- Newcomer Award: Presented to the company that has the strongest potential to emerge from its start-up phase to become a leader in the technology industry.
- Rising Star Award: Presented to the company, which, through innovation in products, services or business approach, has grown to become a serious competitor in the marketplace.
- Lighthouse Award: Presented to the company who has taken a leading role in the national industry while attracting national attention to the Illinois technology industry.
ITA encourages everyone to get involved! Visit Write-In Award to submit your nomination for the Write-In Award Category today. The schedule for nominations and voting is:
February 14, 2011
Write-in Category Award Nominations Begins.
February 25, 2011
Write-in Category Award Nominations Closes.
February 28, 2011
Company and Individual Nominations Open for all Awards.
March 28, 2011
All Nominations Close.
April 14, 2011
Finalists named and public voting period begins.
April 31, 2011
Voting closes.
May 12, 2011
Winners announced at 12th Annual ITA CityLIGHTS Awards Gala
To join in our efforts to attract and retain technology talent, contact headquarters@illinoistech.org. Follow the discussion on the Write-In Award at http://ita.cx/hlUjr5 and follow us on Twitter at @ITABUZZ, and visit www.illinoistech.org to find out more about how ITA is supporting the growth of the local industry.
About the ITA
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is a driving force behind the growth of Illinois' vibrant technology industry. We are relentless in championing the development and application of technology, from start-up companies to industry leaders, leveraging the transformative nature of technology to revolutionize industries. ITA uniquely capitalizes peer-to-peer collaboration, networking, and access to experts across the breadth of business to cultivate the Illinois technology industry. The unique and powerful integration of these valuable and experienced resources differentiates the ITA as a source of accelerated growth for the technology industry of Illinois. For more information about ITA, please visit www.illinoistech.org.
Contact Information:
Contacts:
Dorothy Radke
Marketing & Communications
ITA
+1.312.924.1044
dradke@illinoistech.org