A group of North Louisiana businesses recently formed a new technology coalition called TechRouler. It was formed around a common challenge to identify qualified technology workers with skills ranging from software development to network engineering to technical sales and pair them up with employers.
TechRouler is a coalition of companies based in North Louisiana that all have a common need for technology-skilled talent. Technology can mean a lot of different things in our world, from software to digital media to networks to biomedical engineering and all things in between. Tech companies listed on TechRouler include Twin Engines Labs, Moonbot Studios, and Dreamforge games.
The coalition says that the increased need for talent with various technology skills by companies in North Louisiana has been driven by a number of factors:
- Strong incentives offered by the State of Louisiana have supported the rapid growth of companies that innovate. Incentives exist for R&D, digital interactive media development, filmmaking, angel investment and quality jobs, among other critical areas of capital investment.
- North Louisiana boasts a diverse industry base. Our region is home to the headquarters of the third largest telecom carrier, CenturyLink, as well as significant healthcare facilities and regional banking centers, all of which need reliable connectivity and are increasingly moving to all things electronic.
- The Cyber Innovation Center and the National Cyber Research Park, built to support the growing importance cyberspace has on our national security and housed next door to Barksdale Air Force Base, is attracting a wide variety of companies to the area that need a tech-skilled workforce.
- Several university-based and public-private research institutions that support all of the above, such as Louisiana Tech University, LSU Health Shreveport, Univerity of Louisiana at Monroe College of Pharmacy and the Biomedical Reseach Foundation.
TechRouler is assisted by North Louisiana Economic Partnership’s (NLEP) workforce marketing program, NEON. Angie White, NLEP Vice President in charge of NEON, organized the first gathering of area tech companies after recognizing the common need to recruit and retain technology workers in North Louisiana.