When Mike Stohon returned to his native Cambria County a few years ago, he was astounded that the region was struggling to achieve the advances in technology he had witnessed while working at high-tech jobs, including one in Houston.

“In every single case, it’s almost as if information technology was behind the curve,” Stohon said.

He is the founder and president of In-Shore Technologies Inc., 239 Main St., Johnstown, which provides services such as IT consulting and management, Web service and help desk service.

But things are changing rapidly, Stohon said, and in five years new technology will enable companies in the region to work seamlessly, whether their representatives are at home or on the road.

“In terms of Cambria County, I think you’re going to start seeing some of those gaps in technology bridged,” he said.

The biggest advances will be more people involved in entry-level technology and faster access to the technology, said Brian Shrift of Precision Business Solutions, 720 Rowena Drive, Ebensburg, which offers an array of services including computer repair, networking, training and Web site design.

“Almost everyone will have access to high-speed Internet. Hopefully we’ll get more and more wireless spots,” Shrift said.

“Everything is a heck of a lot faster; it’s like going from a bicycle to a motorcycle.”

During the next five years, he said, people will become more mobile, which will increase productivity – so much so that employees will find themselves doing 10 hours of work in eight.

As the region’s technology gaps are bridged, the impact will be far-reaching. Businesses will be able to operate more efficiently with advances such as digital inventory and replacement of traditional time clocks with bio-metric models triggered by the swipe of a fingerprint, Stohon said.

Technology also will enable automatic payroll calculations.

Schools will operate more effectively. Increased distance learning, including virtual field trips, will enable students to interact with the presenters, Stohon said. Parents and students will have the ability to retrieve not only grades but actual curriculum from a home computer.

People will use technology such as Windows Smart Phones to extend data and the ability to access it whether in the field or at home.

E-commerce is expected to continue its strong growth, with a sharp increase in the types and amounts of merchandise available online.

Even nonprofits will get in on the trend. Johnstown Area Heritage Association already is riding the tide with a home marketplace.

“There just will be more reach, expanding access to more data,” Stohon said.

“We’re definitely knocking down network walls,” he added.