There’s no question that Temple is a hotbed for technology careers. With a pro-business atmosphere and an infrastructure built for connection, business in Temple is flourishing. Not to mention the low cost of living, which is ideal for employees and employers alike. Plus, public schools and higher education facilities surrounding the city have a focus on STEM education, which supports the continuous growth of tech careers.
With new tech additions to the city, a growing pool of talent, and a low cost of living that is attracting new business all the time, Temple’s tech boom has no end in sight.
New Players
In 2021, Samsung Electronics announced that they will be building a semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, Texas. Construction is set to start in the beginning of this year, with expectations for production to begin in the second half of 2024. Once fully operational, the facility will support approximately 2,000 high-tech jobs. The facility will be located in Taylor, Texas – only a 45-minute commute from Temple! With minimal traffic in Temple and transportation costs that are 15% below the national average, any commute from Temple is a smooth ride.
Meta, previously known as Facebook, is constructing a hyperscale data center in Temple, which will support approximately 100 tech jobs once the center is operational. Not only will the addition of a Meta data center provide new tech career opportunities, it will also support local educational institutions that feed into tech jobs. Meta is very involved with the communities where their data centers are located. Their main focus within community involvement is public education, especially STEM education. With their contribution, tech careers in Temple will continue to grow over time.
Rowan Partners, Rowan Green Data is in the process of building a new data center in Temple. Phase one of the data center is expected to be finished by summer of this year, with plans to be completed and fully operational in 2023. Once completed, the data center will employ 20 highly-skilled data center engineers, networking technicians, and operations specialists. The Rowan Partners data center will be located in Synergy Park alongside the Meta data center.
Top City for Tech Talent
Texas has no corporate income tax at the state level, and offers incentives through tax abatements, refunds and rebates, and Central Texas business grants. Texas has been established as a top tech worker migration state, but Temple puts the icing on the cake.
In a 2019 study by SmartAsset, Temple was rated among the top 10 U.S. cities for tech occupations. Part of what made Temple rank so high was the significantly lower-than-average cost of living index of just 85.10. Though the average tech salary in Temple is slightly lower than that of other cities on the list, Temple rated highly for wage ratio. Essentially, the salary of tech employees in Temple goes much further than anywhere else.
In fact, Temple is rated #6 on the list of most affordable places to live in the U.S., according to CBS news. Even groceries are less expensive in Temple! Not to mention the low housing costs and competitive business real estate, which is attractive to both tech companies and the employees who work for them.
With 1,600 acres of shovel ready land, there’s plenty of room for more tech companies. The McLane Group has developed The Lakes at Central Point, a Class A technology and office park which spans 165 acres. Several technology companies currently occupy a total of 70,000 square feet at the office park, with an additional 135 acres available for future businesses.
Lease rates and labor costs at the park are below the national average. Occupancy cost of offices in the park can be 30% lower than other metro areas like Austin, Dallas, and Houston, and provide plenty of parking space. Just like the rest of Temple, the office park has beautifully landscaped grounds, providing a peaceful work environment.
Tech in Temple is Driven by Local STEM Education
Though tech careers are already abundant in Temple, they are expected to increase significantly due to the local schools’ focus on STEM programs. Temple has a technically skilled labor pool with a median age much younger than the national average. The talent pipeline is supported by eight higher education institutions within 80 miles.
This includes local colleges like Temple College and Central Texas College, as well as four-year universities like University of Mary Hardin Baylor and Texas A&M Central Texas. Once Meta builds their data center in Temple, they’ll also help build up the STEM programs at these schools.
Even the K-12 education in Temple ISD promotes STEM education through their Wildcat Workforce program. The program encourages students to choose a career cluster early on in their high school career. The Information Technology cluster in particular partners with local businesses like, PDI, Mclane Technology Partners, and CGI to build connections in IT occupations like cyber security, programing, and software development.
TISD Wildcat Workforce offers dual-credit opportunities, so students can earn high school and college credit at the same time. It also allows students to earn industry-recognized certifications to prepare them for the workforce.
The strong, growing workforce paired with the low cost of living has been the reason many technology companies have chosen to locate their business in Temple. With plenty of land and real estate available, and a recent boost in local STEM education, the opportunities for future tech growth are plentiful.
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