Tech industry job outlook remains strong in NC despite some high-profile layoffs, experts say

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Despite companies like Pfizer announcing the closure of facilities in Morrisville and Durham, some experts say the tech sector remains strong in the Triangle.

"What we're seeing is that even in the face of some of the news headlines about some of the larger branded companies having layoffs, in many cases, those are companies that hired up substantially during the COVID period and are now having to sort of 'right-size' a bit there," NC TECH's Brooks Raiford said.

Mayor T.J. Cawley of Morrisville said there's many strong companies in the Triangle region despite Pfizer's announcement.

"We are hopeful that anyone laid off will soon find another position suitable to their talents and abilities in the area quickly," Cawley said.

Although Pfizer has not said how many jobs will be impacted, Raiford echoed Cawley in that there's a need for tech talent, especially in companies outside of the tech sector.

"A department store chain is not a tech industry employer, but they employ a lot of tech workers in their I.T. department," Raiford said. "A large tech company that might be a familiar brand also has account executives, administrative support, finance officers ... none of them are tech workers, but they're all employed by the tech sector. So there's still a lot of hiring going."

On Monday, Lenovo and its Black Leaders Achieving Success in Technology (BLAST) employee resource group partnered with North Carolina HBCUs to give students an opportunity to build resumes and network with professionals at the tech giant's Morrisville campus.

"There's a lot of demand for certain types of tech talent in particular," Raiford said. "Cybersecurity is a key example there where there's just not enough workers to meet the demand by far. And so I feel pretty bullish about how we come through this period and how the Triangle in particular is positioned to weather some of these announcements that you hear."

The Triangle's strong tech sector is what brought Travis Baldwin to Research Triangle Park to work as a mechanical engineer at a startup company.

"I think most people, after they lose their job, they find another one right away," Baldwin said. "We attract a lot of people from other places in the nation. So you'll find people from everywhere else, from Silicon Valley ... to where I'm from, New York. People come from everywhere. So it's a big draw."