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You might know Chattanooga, Tennessee for its numerous hiking trails and kayaking and rafting on the Chattahoochee river but have you heard of its reputation as the “Gig City?” For those out of the know, Chattanooga provides some of the fastest — and least expensive — high-speed internet services in the United States. The ultrahigh-speed fiber-optic connection is 50 times faster than average, providing speeds of 1 gigabit-per-second, hence the “Gig City” nickname. This service has jumpstarted the burgeoning tech scene and seen “Chattanooga…[turn] itself from what could have been another failing mid-sized city into a startup hub,” according to Vice. Job opportunities abound for those looking to level up their careers in software design and development, cybersecurity, programming and more. Demand for technology roles is only set to increase as innovative organizations continue to take notice of Chattanooga.
So how can you take advantage of this hiring boom? One increasingly popular option is to enroll in a skills-based bootcamp. Bootcamps in the Chattanooga area, specializing in fields like coding, cybersecurity and data analytics offer an opportunity to learn critical skills quickly and network and learn from local and international industry experts. Bootcamp participants in Chattanooga can look forward to exciting internship and job opportunities and opening up a new world of career opportunities in just a few months or less.
The job outlook for bootcamp graduates in Chattanooga is excellent and seat to grow alongside the city’s industry. One only needs to glance at a list of the region’s top startups to get a sense of the abundant of opportunities and transformative organizations housed within city limits. High tech analytics revolutionizing the logistics industry is one of Chattanooga’s niches, including companies like FreightWaves, which handles billions of data points and offers digital intelligence to the freight industry via their market analytics software. Another homegrown success story is Bellhop, which is disrupting the moving industry via its advanced tech-enabled model in more than 65 cities and has already raised more than $60 million since 2014. Other firms building national buzz include Branch Technology, a cutting-edge robotics manufacturer, who recently installed the world’s first 3D printed facade and Peak Money, a digital savings app that has saved over $10 billion of users money.
From coding and UI/UX experts to cybersecurity and data analytic specialists, the professional climate for bootcamp graduates couldn’t get much brighter. It’s easier than ever for candidates entering the job market to combine the “hard skills” they learn in data science, management, or development with their passions in entrepreneurship, fintech, or even robotics. The job market is expected to continue to flourish, thanks to the support of the business-friendly local governments and nonprofits. The Chattanooga Technology Council (ChaTech) connects the community and drives economic growth by offering mentorship, networking and funding to “companies of all sizes…from innovative startups to the most influential companies in Chattanooga.”The downtown Innovation District is anchored by the Business Development Center, which houses more than 70 businesses that have collectively generated more than $17 million in revenue. Also inside is the INCubator: supported by the city Chamber of Commerce, it claims the title as the largest startup incubator in the state and third-largest in the country.
Chattanooga is known for its high quality of living, combined with lower than average housing costs. It even earned a spot on SmartAsset’s top 20 best cities for young professionals. We’ve compiled a list of the average salaries for technology jobs in the city from Indeed.com. Roles with growing demand average salaries of more than $80,000/year and might see that reflected in compensation or additional cash bonuses.
| Career Field | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Software Designer | $85,342 |
| Data Analyst | $64,656 |
| Java Programmer | $95,577 |
| Back-end Developer | $89,573 |
| Full Stack Developer | $140,745 |
| Software Engineer | $104,086 |
| IT Security Specialist | $74,790 |
| Software Developer | $79,588 |
