(This was originally posted on Rich Tehrani’s (News - Alert)  Communications and Technology Blog)

Between the first and second quarters of 2011, HTML5 job growth was at 34 percent while HTML-only jobs increased by only 7 percent and Flash jobs decreased by 10 percent. This according to Freelancer.com.

This confirms that one of the most exciting trends in tech right now is what investing legend Roger McNamee, managing director and co-founder of Elevation Partners calls the HTML5-based post Internet cycle boom mega-cycle.


Examples of interactive Visa ads within the Wall Street Journal app on the iPad

This past weekend I was reading the Wall Street Journal on an iPad - and an ad came up for Visa which touted hotels and movies. And as I clicked on this interactive advertisement I was presented with an offer from a luxury hotel. Moreover, within a matter of seconds I was virtually viewing a hotel suite which was gorgeous and I was further able to book a room if I chose to do so.

Even though the app I used wasn't developed in HTML5 the potential for the same level of interactivity exists in all pages designed with this new standard. And as long as you have the appropriate browser you are able to view every web page as an app. Advertising is an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars and then there is gaming and social and entertainment. Imagine how HTML will improve these industries - especially as the lines between the web and TV continue to blur.

And as governments worldwide try to find new ways to get their citizens working, I wonder how big a role tech can play into their plans. In an environment with record unemployment, I know many tech firms struggling to find enough talented people. And HTML5 is just a sliver of the tech hiring pie right now but we can expect it to continue with explosive hiring growth. Who knows how much employment can be created by this new megacycle and whether the people out of work know how and where to learn more about developing for the web.

After reading this article about the growth in HTML5 job offers on iTWire this morning, I decided we at TMC (News - Alert) need to do our part. And as a result, TMC, where I am CEO, has teamed with Crossfire Media to offer scholarships to our upcoming DevCon5 HTML5 Development conference this July 27-28, 2011 in New York.Email HTML5 Scholarship for consideration.