AEA Cybercities Data Shows Dallas High-Tech Employment Grew by More Than 26,000 From 1990 to 1996; AEA Skills Summit to Address High-Tech Education and Job Preparation.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 5, 1998--The American Electronics Association (AEA) said today that in 1996, Dallas metropolitan area technology firms employed nearly 152,000 workers, or more than 40 percent of Texas' 343,000 high-tech workers.

High-technology employment in the Dallas metro area jumped from 125,400 in 1990 to some 152,000 in 1996, a 21 percent increase.

Based on data developed by the American Electronics Association, Dallas high-Tech workers enjoyed an average wage of $53,400 in 1996 or 59 percent more than the average $33,500 paid to other private sector workers in the area.

Ed Grace, AEA Texas Council Chair and President and CEO of LanOptics, Inc., said the data shows that Dallas is truly a driving force in the burgeoning U.S. high-tech industry. In fact, it is one of the nation's leading technology centers behind such mega areas as Silicon Valley (San Jose).

"Technology firms in the Dallas metro area create tens of thousands of jobs and pay wages comparable to those of other U.S. high-tech cities. For instance, there are more than 13,000 software workers in Dallas making on average $66,000 a year and the area's semiconductor employees earn on average $58,000," he added.

The neighboring Fort Worth-Arlington metro area employed 18,500 workers in 1996, compared to just 14,600 in 1990, an increase of 26 percent. The average technology wage for high-tech workers in the area was $41,400 in 1996, up 18 percent from $35,200 in 1990, adjusted for inflation.

Providing the right components for this growing industry, including the development of educated, knowledgeable, motivated workers, is important, if not vital, to the continued health of high tech in Texas. To address the skills required by high-technology workers in Texas, AEA will present a day-and-a-half seminar on November 17-18, 1998, at the Infomart in Dallas.

In addition to Dallas, Austin is becoming a prime location for technology companies because of its competitive cost of living, skilled labor force, and quality of life. While total high-tech employment in Austin was less than that of Dallas (56,000 vs. 152,000), Austin's growth rate between 1990 and 1996 was 67 percent compared to 21 percent for Dallas.

The data for the Dallas metropolitan area cover the following counties: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Henderson, Hunt, Kaufman, and Rockwall. The statistics for the Fort Worth-Arlington metro area cover the follow countries: Hood, Johnson, Parker, and Tarrent.

The American Electronics Association is the largest high tech trade group, representing more than 3,000 companies throughout the United States. With 18 regional councils, including five in California, AEA is the grassroots voice of the high technology industry. For more information on the High-Tech Skills Summit, call 972/881-2177. -0-

        The Dallas Metropolitan Area High-Technology Workforce

                                      Dallas High-Tech Employment
                                   1990          1996          1990-96
                                                              % Change
Computers and Office
  Equipment Mfg                   2,757         1,873           - 32%
Consumer Electronics Mfg            399         1,025            157%
Communications Equipment Mfg     16,714        19,294             15%
Electronic Components and
  Accessories Mfg                10,311         8,802           - 15%
Semiconductors Mfg               25,434        23,800           -  6%
Defense Electronics               9,966         9,766           -  2%
Industrial Electronics Mfg        2,430         3,415             41%
Electromedical Equipment Mfg      1,585           932           - 41%
Photonics Mfg                       961           751           - 22%
Total Manufacturing              70,557        69,658           -  1%

Total Communications
  Services                       25,055        37,988             52%

Software Services                 5,844        13,912            138%
Data Processing and
  Information Services           19,582        20,771              6%
Rental, Maintenance, and
  Other Computer Services         4,356         9,536            119%
Total Software and
  Computer Services              29,790        44,240             49%

Total Services                   54,845        82,228             50%

Total Dallas High-Tech
  Industry                      125,402       151,886             21%

Total Texas High-Tech
  Industry                      274,196       343,075             25%


                                         Dallas High-Tech Wages(1)
                                   1990          1996          1990-96
                                                              % Change
Computers and Office
  Equipment Mfg                $ 50,171      $ 62,074             24%
Consumer Electronics Mfg       $ 22,535      $ 27,280             21%
Communications Equipment Mfg   $ 47,757      $ 57,477             20%
Electronic Components and
  Accessories Mfg              $ 38,083      $ 37,000           -  3%
Semiconductors Mfg             $ 45,466      $ 57,540             27%
Defense Electronics            $ 45,062      $ 59,254             31%
Industrial Electronics Mfg     $ 38,800      $ 48,976             26%
Electromedical Equipment Mfg   $ 41,999      $ 44,117              5%
Photonics Mfg                  $ 32,921      $ 31,422           -  5%
Total Manufacturing            $ 44,448      $ 53,963             21%

Total Communications
  Services                     $ 44,014      $ 46,085              5%

Software Services              $ 56,961      $ 66,249             16%
Data Processing and
  Information Services         $ 44,134      $ 57,566             30%
Rental, Maintenance, and
  Other Computer Services      $ 47,516      $ 53,205             12%
Total Software and
  Computer Services            $ 47,135      $ 59,354             26%

Total Services                 $ 45,709      $ 53,224             16%

Total Dallas High-Tech
  Industry                     $ 45,000      $ 53,563             19%

Total Texas High-Tech
  Industry                     $ 43,102      $ 50,005             16%

(1) High-technology wages are adjusted to 1996 dollars