CompTIA Conducting Tech Workforce Educational Fly-In To Discuss Alternative Pathways To Tech Careers
CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry, is convening leaders in the workforce development ecosystem for its first Tech Workforce Educational Fly-In on Nov. 14 in Washington, D.C. Representatives from academia, government workforce boards, non-profit community organizations and employers will meet with policymakers to discuss critical tech workforce issues and educate them on the unique pathways people can take to enter the tech workforce.
“Tech talent is in high demand with one million open positions in the U.S.,” said Nancy Hammervik, chief solutions officer, CompTIA. “These jobs can open doors and unlock potential for underserved populations to earn sustainable wages and strong career paths to help economically disadvantaged families and communities. We are bringing this group of stakeholders to meet with legislators to share priorities, concerns and experiences and to raise awareness of the importance of helping their constituents by supporting and funding programs for tech career pathways and workforce needs.”
Additionally, on Nov. 13, CompTIA is conducting a half-day program presenting the latest research and insights on tech career pathways and the state of the tech workforce in the U.S. The event will spotlight success stories and champion voices in these areas, fostering a dialogue for change and progress to drive industry advancement and sustainable growth of the tech talent pipeline. Discussions will focus on how alternative pathways to tech careers, including high school CTE programs, vocational schools, community colleges, tech training, certification centers and apprenticeships, are viable options to a tech career.
Presenting keynote remarks are Tim Herbert, chief research officer, CompTIA; Alaysia Black Hackett, chief diversity officer, U.S. Department of Labor; and Delia Troy, director of industry expansion, Opportunity @ Work.
The “Success Stories in the Tech Workforce Landscape” panel will discuss how employers, educators and workforce boards are addressing the tech workforce needs and will share their experiences and recommendations. The panellists are Eleni Papadakis, executive director, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, Washington State; Dr. Kamaljeet Sanghera, executive director of the Institute for Digital Innovation at George Mason University; Kayley Perkins, MHRM, CSM Solutions Leader/Talent Management Solutions, Apex Systems; and an alumni from a CompTIA training program now employed through Apex Systems.
