Ever since Google announced it’s coming to Michigan, IT has become the new “buzz” career. Suddenly, the information technology industry’s self-proclaimed geeks are the guys all the kids want to be.

For parents and educators in this community, that’s a great thing, because these truly are the jobs of the future.  What’s even better news is that our kids won’t necessarily have to leave home to get those jobs.

While the state’s abuzz with Google gossip, there is a growing technology community right here in Lansing, with hundreds of local, good-paying jobs ripe for the picking:  Positions like software developers, LINUX system administrators and tech support operators. Many of these local companies are growing at 20 and 30 percent annually—  companies like TechSmith, which hopes to add 60 jobs by the end of the year, or Liquid Web, which wants to triple its workforce in the next year.  Oh, and did I mention Liquid Web has an employee lounge with big-screen TVs?  If that doesn’t get your teenager excited about a career, I don’t know what will.

And yet, Michigan State University reports enrollments are down in computer science programs. Time will only tell if the big Google announcement will have an impact on college major decisions, but in the meantime, this community should take a good, hard look at this growing sector and what we can do to better connect it with our community.

Fact is, much of the local IT workforce is under the age of 30, including many CEOs, presidents and managers of these companies, and many of us seasoned business veterans don’t feel a connection with them.

Well, it’s time to wake up and smell the knowledge economy. With enormous local growth rates and equally as impressive potential, not only is IT an important part of this community, but it is exactly the economic diversity we strive to embrace.

It’s up to the Lansing business community to reach out to these businesses and make sure they stay and grow here.  Not only do we need to help build the workforce they need, but we need to gather their input on education, workforce and economic development; engage them in community activities and decisions; and, perhaps most importantly, patronize their businesses.  We shouldn’t be buying IT products and services halfway around the globe when providers are right here in Lansing.

As this community continues to grapple with its economic transformation, instead of looking outside the area, or outside the state, let’s look to grow our own local businesses.  Imagine, a business that can’t hire people fast enough to meet its own growth potential… you don’t need to see it on a big-screen TV in an employee lounge to know that’s good news for all of us.

Douglas E. Sites is the CEO of Capital Area Michigan Works!, a special

purpose unit of government commited to connecting job seekers and

employers through innovative programs for both.

Information Technology Resources For links tohiring companies and job postings, visit www.camw.org, or visit LINC, the IT Development Association, at www.milinc.org