By Johnny Duncan

Opportunities in Information Technology (IT) continue to grow here in East Orlando. With businesses that already call Orlando home as well as those moving into the area, technology is playing a major role in how business is conducted. Today Orlando hosts a $13.4 billion technology industry that employs close to 53,000 people. Some of the leading segments include digital media; optics and photonics; modeling, simulation and training; aviation/aerospace; homeland security/defense; and information technology.

In addition, the Burnham Institute is projected to create 300 research jobs, the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Medical School will require technology support, and there is still a $2.5 billion industry for the procurement of military products and services in Central Florida. The demands are greater than ever before for qualified people with an education in technology services and organizations such as the Central Florida Research and Technology Park, Central Florida Innovation Corporation, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council have been created to work with industry leaders to foster continued growth.

There are a variety of roles for professionals interested in the technology field and, fortunately for Orange County residents, there are plenty of good technology schools to choose from. Schools like the UCF’s Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, which is one of the top three optics centers in the country. UCF provides more undergraduate and graduate diplomas in computer science than any other state university in Florida. With over 47,000 students, UCF is now the sixth largest university in the U.S. and it is also home to one of the top Tech Incubators in the nation and boasts more than $103 million in annual research dollars.

Additionally, community colleges in the region work with UCF and industry professionals to develop valuable technology courses, and several high schools offer magnet programs to attract students to the field at a young age. In fact, to address the national need for increased emphasis on integrating technology into the K-12 curriculum, the National Academy Foundation has established a rigorous network of Academy of Information Technology (AoIT) programs in our nation's high schools. In Orange County, the AoITs operate as schools-within-schools at the following high schools: Apopka, Boone, Colonial, Cypress Creek, Timber Creek, University and Winter Park.

Other technology schools in Orlando include DeVry University, which provides a personalized learning setting. DeVry’s labs are equipped with computers and other instrumentation appropriate to the study of required software, networking and telecommunications, electronics, physics, and game and simulation technologies. DeVry offers a variety of degrees including bachelor's programs in Computer Information Systems, Electronics Engineering Technology, Network and Communications Management, Game and Simulation Programming, and Technical Management.

The ITT Technical Institute prepares students for career opportunities in a variety of entry-level positions in various fields involving electronics engineering technology and communication systems. ITT programs begin by building a foundation in electronic circuitry and communications engineering technology through the study of subjects such as circuit analysis, circuit design, and data and network communications.

Some schools, such as the Florida Institute of Technology deliver evening, graduate-level degree programs. Classes are offered at Baldwin Executive Park as well as on-site at Lockheed Martin Electronic and Missiles Group facilities. This classroom environment provides a unique opportunity for an exchange of ideas and viewpoints among representatives from academia, industry, and U.S. military.

Much of Orlando’s technological know-how goes into our entertainment venues and tourism industries. To provide for the needs of these industries the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy offers a full master's degree in game development, and Full Sail Real World Education, a Premier Media Arts College, has been encouraging the union of art and technology for the past 27 years.