EXPANDING TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY SECTORS

Communications, Information Technology

Arizona ranks above the national average in Advanced Communications and Information Technology employment within total state employment (Battelle, Arizona’s AC-IT Roadmap, March 2004).

Arizona ranks 3rd in total workforce share for Computer Hardware, Electronics Engineers and Technicians (Battelle, Arizona’s AC-IT Roadmap, March 2004).

58 of every 1,000 private sector workers in Arizona are employed by high tech firms with the leading sectors of Semiconductor Manufacturing, Telecommunications Services and Engineering Services (ASTRA 2005).

Communications Services are outpacing national growth (Battelle Report: Arizona’s AC-IT Roadmap, March 2004).

Advanced Manufacturing, Optics

Arizona employs about 77,000 in Advanced Manufacturing with an average payroll per employee of $60,000 (US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 2001).

Arizona has about 150 optics-related firms, 90% of which are in the private sector and account for annual revenues of about $650 million. That’s up from $100 million in 1989 and $300 million in 1994 (UA Center for Optical Sciences).

Because of its high concentration of optics firms and related workers, Tucson was designated as "Optics Valley" by BusinessWeek magazine in 1992.

Within 100 kilometers of Tucson, there are more square centimeters of astronomical glass pointed toward the universe, including the recent $80 million Mount Graham International Observatory, than at any other location on earth (Arizona Optics Industry Association).