This Wired article is written by a Microsoft executive originally from the southwest corner of Virginia, which is where I happen to be originally from. He gives a few examples of how technology can transform old jobs and create new jobs in out of the way places.

• Running “automated” farming equipment requires some combination of mechanical fix-it ability and IT help desk ability.
• Keeping the books at a nursing home chain requires some fairly advanced database skills.
• Precision plastic parts can be molded locally by technicians trained at community college, rather than ordered from abroad.