It was only a few years ago that parents were cautioning their children not to set off into technology careers; the recession after the boom years shattered the sheen on the field, which no longer seemed a safe place to invest one's future. While these fears have been far from assuaged, tales of America's IT demise now <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1980583,00.asp?kc=ewnws062306dtx1k0000599">seem more greatly exaggerated.</A> IT execs are raking in more than ever, smaller tech markets are blooming across the country, and the field boasts growth despite a slowing market.