As the United States struggles with an unemployment rate over 8 percent, the blossoming tech industry has taken on an even greater importance in the American workplace. Technology job opportunities are predicted to grow by up to 22 percent over the next 10 years, making it the fastest growing industry in our economy.

Already, hundreds of tech companies are making their mark on the industry, with impressive investments and growth rates. I’ve put together a list of six fast-growing, innovative and exciting companies that will help the tech industry become America’s most valued — not just for their ideas, but their ability to put the country back to work.

1) Kaltura

Kaltura is one of the world’s leading video platforms, with a wide variety of rich media software offerings. The $40 million + venture backed company, with its powerful array of video communications, marketing and distribution software, is at the forefront of both the social enterprise and education 2.0 revolutions. Kaltura is used by giants like Groupon for internal communications with its thousands of employees, as well as virtually every Ivy League university, who utilize the platform to set up “Campus Tubes” for the sake of learning and collaboration. Kaltura, which is headquartered in New York City, was founded in 2006 and has grown its client base to over 150,000 customers since.

2) ZIVELO

ZIVELO creates and distributes aluminum self-service kiosks for a variety of clients, from the U.S. military to private companies like Starbucks and Whole Foods. ZIVELO is dedicated to offsetting its carbon footprint, and manufactures its machines entirely in the United States — setting a high standard for what American companies can and should achieve. Undoubtedly, the company’s 200 employees in Marion, Indiana would agree. It is the only kiosk company offering multi-piece design, brand continuity with regards to design, and a highly competitive price point. This mega-fast growing startup is changing the face of public computing with no signs of slowdown.

3) 2tor

2tor is one of the world’s most innovative education tech companies, on a mission to transform higher education by bringing America’s top universities online. The company provides the technological, marketing and administrative infrastructure that allows great universities – including University of Southern California, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Georgetown University and Washington University in St. Louis – to offer their selective degree programs online. 2tor has raised  $96 million in venture capital and has grown to over 400 employees since being founded in 2008.

4) Noodle

Noodle has created a unique education search and discovery engine, geared towards helping students find everything from tutors and guidance counselors to kindergarten and graduate school programs. Named “Most Likely to Succeed” at SVForum’s Launch: Silicon Valley 2012, Noodle provides a personalized, unbiased means of finding best-fit education programs for individuals of all ages. With 18 employees and $3 million raised in venture capital, New York-based Noodle is transforming the education search process and is growing quickly doing so.

5) LocalVox

LocalVox is an online

marketing platform that allows local businesses to powerfully build their brands across the web with minimal effort and cost. Arguably one of the leading social-local-mobile marketing platforms, LocalVox enables business owners to increase their online presences through a combination of efforts in social media, websites, local directories, e-mail newsletters, content syndicators and SEO. With 400 clients, 40 employees and a client retention rate of 90 percent, LocalVox has grown tremendously since being formed in 2010 and has its eyes set on national expansion in the coming months.

6) Uber

Uber is a San Francisco-based company that has made calling a car — to your home, to the bar, or to any random street corner — hassle-free and convenient. A luxury town car experience — or mid-range car, for the economically-conscious — is only a click away on the Uber app, with all charges going directly to your credit card, no cash required. This unique car service has launched in cities across the country and in London, with $44 million in funding already in hand.

Whether transforming the way we communicate, travel, learn or check-in to our flight, these six companies have already seen great success and expansive growth in a few short years, or even months. New firms are the number one provider of net job growth in the country, which bodes well for the millions of Americans out of work — many of whom would be glad to land at any of these groundbreaking startups. And with the way these firms are growing, it should only be a matter of time before they do.