JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Chamber Foundation joined Wednesday to discuss its fourth Technology2030 report.
“The findings of this report show that Missouri remains an emerging hub for the tech sector,” Missouri Chamber President and CEO Kara Corches said.
Technology2030 reviews and plans for emerging technology manufacturers and sectors in the coming years, with focus on Missouri becoming a global economic leader by 2030.
“We divide tech in different ways in the report. We start with four subsectors,” said Ted Abernathy, with the Economic Leadership LLC.
These subsectors are energy technology, environmental technology, life science and core IT. Members of the foundation said the life science sector includes biology, farm and medical instrumentation.
“We believe that over the last five years, the tech industry added more than 14,000 net new jobs” Corches said.
Corches also said technology accounts for 5% of Missouri’s total employment and 10% of the state’s gross domestic product.
“The economy is in rapid changes as we know,” Abernathy said. “Technological manufacturing is one of the places that Missouri has a competitive advantage.”
He added people’s reasons for moving have changed, and people are more attracted to affordability.
The report said that investing into these technology manufacturing jobs does not affect the already-low cost of living in the state.
“Anywhere you work today, you’re going to need the technology skills that Missouri’s been committed to, in the K-12 system and colleges to give you the ability to do what you want to do,” Abernathy said.
Techology2030 said that focusing talent recruitment on returning Missourians is one of the top recommendations to improve Missouri’s technology competition.