Many Southern states are giving Silicon Valley a run for its money in terms of job growth in “STEM” fields, or those in science, technology, engineering and math – and driving these employment gains is the auto industry, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Based on findings from a recent Brookings Institution report, the newspaper noted that Jackson, Mississippi, and Nashville, Tennessee, are gaining STEM jobs at almost the same rate as the San Francisco Bay area, with the Southern regions posting 7.9 percent growth in jobs in those sectors.
The Wall Street Journal traced much of the growth to the expanding auto industry in the South, with major companies like Nissan and General motors operating plants in Nashville. Here, jobs were growing the fastest in management, scientific and consulting services, up nearly 40 percent in just two years. Jackson is also seeing high auto industry activity and employment growth.
Furthermore, the report showed that seven of the top eight cities that had the greatest growth in tech employment were in southern states, reported the Knoxville New Sentinel. Other cities to watch include Raleigh, North Carolina, and Memphis, Tennessee.