Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Immortalised in Gone With The Wind, which showed it being burned to the ground during the American civil war, Atlanta is emerging as the latest US mecca for hi-tech workers. The capital of Georgia, Atlanta is situated in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains.

Major attractions Lanier, a beautiful man-made lake. The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are a five-hours' drive away.

Economy With a population of 500,000, Atlanta is the administrative and cultural capital of the south-east. Major industries include aircraft, machinery, cottonseed oil, textiles and chemicals.

Job prospects Companies based in Atlanta include General Electric Capital, Coca Cola, Bell Sounds, AT&T, Northern Telecom and Turner Broadcasting. Skills that are in constant demand include help desk and end-user support, project management for networked applications, and network administrators and designers.

Drawbacks Before you can work in the US you need an H1 visa, sponsored by a company. Recruitment and services companies such as Comms People are happy to sponsor contract workers. With the millennium issue and the resulting skills shortage, there has never been a better time to travel the US as an IT contractor. Atlanta is a sprawling city, and the city's transport infrastructure is very undeveloped. However, American gas guzzlers are large, decorative and come cheap second hand.

Climate It is very warm in summer, about 380C, and mild in winter, usually about 00C.

Links
Atlanta information
US Employment.com