FLORENCE-There was a buzz of excitement at the recent open house for the much anticipated new Shoals TechSpace. The Shoals Technology Partnership hosted the event for the 15,000 square foot space that is located on the third floor of a historic Art Deco structure in the heart of downtown Florence. The Shoals TechSpace is conveniently located adjacent to a 500+ space parking deck and is within walking distance to the University of North Alabama. With redundant power and fiber available, this recently renovated space can be customized to fit the needs of a tech related company.
The Shoals Technology Partnership is a collaboration of the Shoals Economic Development Authority, Shoals Chamber of Commerce, University of North Alabama, Northwest Shoals Community College, Alabama Department of Commerce, and TVA Economic Development. The partnership was created after a research initiative identified that the Shoals had many qualities that were advantageous to tech related companies seeking to locate in a non-urban setting.
The Shoals has two institutions of higher education, six public school systems, and three secondary technology centers that supply a pipeline of technically skilled students and professionals seeking career opportunities in the tech industry. Currently, there are 1,392 people in the Shoals labor shed that are working in a tech related position or possess the skills or degree to hold a position in a tech related field, but there are only 741 tech related jobs in the Shoals area. Therefore, the Shoals area has 651 technically skilled people that are either unemployed, underemployed, or commuting to other areas due to the lack of quality tech positions available in the area.
In addition to the talent pipeline, the Shoals offers a low cost of living, reasonable housing costs, lower labor costs, and a great quality of life. Lower labor costs in the Shoals allows companies to remain competitive with other outsourcing operations in the tech industry. The Shoals Technology Partnership is actively seeking to recruit a tech related company to the Shoals area. The risk and time associated with locating this type of company can be reduced or eliminated with the development of the new Shoals TechSpace.
Media Release/Shoals Economic Development Authority (SEDA)
