What will 2024 mean for your tech community? Technical.ly will explore with these 12 editorial calendar themes
What will 2024 bring the tech communities of Philly, Baltimore, DC, Delaware, Pittsburgh and beyond?
However tricky it is to predict what topics will matter months or a year from now, we at Technical.ly spend enough time thinking through these regions’ opportunities and challenges that some themes emerge, alongside ideas we keep coming back to and questions that remain unanswered.
That’s where Technical.ly’s editorial calendar comes in.
Our editorial calendar is a reporting series with monthly themes relevant to our niche community of readers. The idea is to allow our journalists to dive deeper into 12 topics that local technologists, entrepreneurs, company leaders and innovators care about while still maintaining our regular diversity of coverage. (See 2023’s editcal here.)
First up: Pathways to Tech Careers Month.
Yes, mass tech layoffs haven’t stopped in 2023 after hot pandemic hiring sprees. (Call it “right-sizing,” if you must.) But tech as a whole is a resilient field. In most of Technical.ly’s markets, as well as comparative cities like Atlanta and Denver, the number of both tech jobs and tech occupations increased over the past five years by at least a few percentage points, per our Tech Economy Dashboard, which features proprietary data from Lightcast.
Yet early-career talent needs help, as they weigh increasing demand for tech workers against workplace culture shifts, industry-changing trends like the rise of generative AI and, yes, all those layoffs. What does it all mean for those seeking their first tech job right now? What challenges do hiring companies face, and what could they be doing better to attract candidates? Our reporting in January will explore these and related questions.
And soon after, in early February, look for the 2024 editions of our annual RealLIST Startups, tracking the most promising young tech companies across our markets. If you have an idea for a startup we should consider, please do share in our RealLIST nomination form, now open year-round:
Submit a RealLIST nomination
Without further ado, check out Technical.ly’s full 2023 editorial calendar, as well as some questions we might answer aligning with each month’s theme. Broadly, these themes cover technology and economic trends, professional development and workplace culture. As always, we’ll keep an eye on how each impacts local tech communities:
January — Pathways to Tech Careers Month What nontraditional paths or pivots are being taken to careers in technology? How many people are in tech training programs in each of our markets, and how are those programs adapting to present realities? What technical skills are essential to know now, in 2024, and what are the best ways to develop them? We’ll also publish updated bootcamp guides tracking which programs are currently active in each market, plus details on what they teach, their application requirements and the like. February — Early Employees Month How do a company’s first hires impact its development? How can those hires grow with the company? What post-hiring steps can help to retain underrepresented pros in tech roles? Plus, look for the 2024 editions of Technical.ly’s annual RealLIST Startups, tracking the most promising young tech companies across our markets. (Reminder: You can nominate some great folks for the RealLIST year-round.) March — Future Research Month What’s the coolest next-gen R&D coming out of local universities and labs? How are academics thinking about tech transfer and commercializing their work? Who locally is working on quantum computing, cell and gene therapy, AI, robotics and other tech frontiers? April — Entertainment Tech Month Which entrepreneurs, technologists and creators are doing the most interesting work in sports, arts and culture, nightlife, music, esports and the like? Where does local tech show up in pop culture? How are companies, organizations, agencies and individuals supporting economic development at these intersections? May — Thriving Tech Communities Month What does authentic community development look like? Where do technologists and other tech workers find each other these days? Which local meetups are most active and creative in how they connect people? Plus, look for the 2024 editions of Technical.ly’s annual RealLIST Connectors tracking the most connective tech community members in each of our markets, as well as the return of Philly Tech Week presented by Comcast. (Reminder: You can nominate some great folks for the RealLIST year round.) June — Future of Work Month What do tech workplaces look like now, from coworking spaces to offices to remote setups? What jobs will or won’t exist 10 years from now? How does tech help people work with more efficiency, productivity or meaning? We’ll also publish updated coworking guides tracking which spaces are currently active in each of our markets, along with details on what they offer and what makes each unique. July — Advanced Manufacturing Month With EDA Tech Hubs Phase 2 funding announcements expected this summer, how are ecosystem builders attempting to expand their regions’ manufacturing capabilities? What jobs can be found in this sector, and how can current or aspiring technologists prepare for them? Where does STEM fit? August — Senior Technologists Month How did the most accomplished engineers and other pros get where they are today? How can aspiring tech leaders develop the skills to take on advanced roles? How can knowledgeable independent contributors sustain their autonomy and authority in an ever-changing industry? Plus, look for the 2024 editions of Technical.ly’s annual RealLIST Engineers tracking the most influential technologists in each of our markets. (Reminder: You can nominate some great folks for the RealLIST year round.) September — Life Sciences Month How many jobs are available locally in biotech and related fields, and what skills are needed to get them? What companies are working on the latest products to save lives in fields like cell and gene therapy? What makes for a strong — and recession-proof — life sciences hub? October — Cybersecurity Month What’s driving the nationwide need for cyber professionals? What are the latest security skills being demanded by local employers, and how can technologists develop them? How can data care be better adopted by technologists and non-technologists alike? November — State of the Local Tech Economy Month Five years beyond the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, how have our regions’ economies recovered — or not? How resilient have different tech jobs and tech occupations proven to be this year? What will federal policy (and the results of this year’s election) mean for our regions? Plus, look for the 2024 edition of the annual Technical.ly Awards honoring impactful leaders, change-making companies and innovative technology products making communities better. December — 150 Years in the Future Month Following the Seventh Generation Principle: What could your home look like in 150 years? What role will technology play in getting there? What civic or policy changes can be enacted now to ensure thriving communities then? Plus, look for the 2024 editions of the annual State of the Tech Economy reports in Philly, Baltimore, DC, Delaware and Pittsburgh.
Many of these follow a similar line: helping you do your job better. You can expect a handful of profiles on folks doing the most within these sectors, guest posts from relevant experts and a whole bunch of reporting on trends, challenges and solutions. We’ll publish reported explainers and community perspectives alike.
Have an idea for a story? Know someone working in one of these spaces who deserves some shine? Looking to align your marketing campaign with a sponsored content package? Drop us a line:
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P.S. Here’s how 2023’s themes turned out:
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