Study Assesses Tech ‘Misalignment’
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe chief executive officer of EmployIndy says results of a collaborative technology work force study are both challenging and encouraging. Brooke Huntington says the research, conducted in association with TechPoint, projects central Indiana will have 51,500 available tech jobs in a decade. She says nearly half will lack the necessary qualified workers to fill the positions. She says one of the most critical points illustrated by the Hire Up study is a need to raise the interest level in information technology and STEM careers.
Huntington says this study can help begin conversations among employers, educators and workers to address the “misalignment” in skills.
You can connect to some key points of the study by clicking here and the full results by clicking here.
Source: Inside INdiana Business
May 4, 2015
News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (April 30, 2015) – Hire Up, an EmployIndy regional convening initiative to help bridge the growing Central Indiana technical skills gap, and TechPoint have released a new Central Indiana Tech Workforce Study that updates and expands upon foundational research from both organizations.
The detailed technology industry data on talent supply and market demands will be used to refine existing talent development efforts and serve as a springboard for elevating solutions to address technical skills gaps and skilled worker shortages.
Together, Hire Up and TechPoint set out to conduct an updated analysis of the workforce and occupational structure of the industry through real-time labor market data analysis and Central Indiana employer surveys. The data reveal that as demand for computer and IT talent has grown in Central Indiana, local educational institutions offering certificates, associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs have ramped up the production of graduates with degrees. But there remains a significant shortage of workers to meet employer demand. Equally important, employers said they need more individuals with specific tech skills to succeed in a rapidly growing sector.
“EmployIndy works with local businesses every day to find qualified talent. The challenge is most pronounced when it comes to finding talent with technical skills,” said Brooke Huntington, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “We knew that challenge was only going to escalate as our region continues to thrive in the growth industries of advanced manufacturing and logistics, life sciences, technology and alternative energy. Hire Up has proactively pinpointed the business and talent needs and identified the actions required to close the gap.”
Based on these data, Hire Up is helping the region identify ways to influence more students to make smart choices about their educational pathways, complete skills mapping for the tech sector to better align curriculum and educational content with skills and knowledge required by Central Indiana tech employers, and partner with TechPoint and other organizations to expand work-based learning opportunities and internships in the region. In addition, Hire Up will help grow and replicate innovative learning models like coding academies and online degree programs to upskill the current workforce and respond to rapid technological advances.
“We have the opportunity to make talent – our most precious resource – a competitive advantage here,” said Mike Langellier, president and CEO of TechPoint. “But, we are going to need innovative, well-designed programs along with tight feedback loops and effective collaboration between employers, educators, employees, and other stakeholders.”
“Closing skills gaps is all about alignment: of the training system within industry, of programming with data, of actors with each other,” commented Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a speaker at a major event focused on Hire Up. “Hire Up looks to be the next step forward in Central Indiana's noteworthy efforts to craft a strong training system focused on the region's critical advanced industries.”
Hire Up has developed a common regional framework to close the growing technical skills gap. It has built its mission on real-time labor market data that project 51,500 net new technical jobs will be available in Central Indiana by 2025, but 45 percent of those jobs will lack qualified workers if the region does not change how it prepares talent for the growing economy.
In addition to announcing these new data, Hire Up announced a partnership with WGU Indiana to support 25 scholarships for current workers who want to advance their IT skills.
The 2015 Central Indiana Tech Workforce Study and other community resources are available at (www.hireupindy.org) and at (www.techpoint.org/research).
About Hire Up
Hire Up is spearheaded by EmployIndy (www.EmployIndy.org) with the support of several philanthropic organizations that share a passion for advancing talent development efforts toward growing the regional economy. Funders include the Joyce Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, the Indianapolis Foundation, Lumina Foundation and USA Funds. Visit www.hireupindy.org for more information.
About TechPoint
TechPoint is the voice and catalyst for Indiana’s technology companies and tech ecosystem. The team is focused on: 1.) connecting the community through events, 2.) sharing stories of companies and people, 3.) attracting valuable talent, 4.) connecting promising companies with capital and customers. Visit www.techpoint.org for more information.