Track Objective:

What will it take to fill 3 million open STEM jobs in three years?

OUTCOME: Create the basis for a new data-driven jobs and careers marketplace that will accurately reflect the employment needs of companies and the skill requirements necessary to obtain jobs, making it easier for both sides to match supply and demand.

 

Track Sessions:


 

Session 301:
Employer Perspectives:
Challenges and Solutions in STEM Workforce Planning

Thursday, June 28
10:45 am – 11:45 am

Room A2

Riz Chand, Vice President, Human Resources and Medical, and Chief Human Resources Officer, BNSF Railway
Michael E. Haefner, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Atmos Energy
Scott Smith, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, AT&T 
Maureen Tarantello, Managing Consultant, Towers Watson (moderator)

America is facing a jobs crisis. Though millions of people are unemployed, more than 3 million STEM jobs remain unfilled because of gaps in skills and training.  There is no doubt that the jobs of the future, which will continue to drive U.S. competitiveness and innovation leadership, will require STEM and other technical skills.  With three-to-one growth in STEM vs. non-STEM occupations in the past 10 years–a trend that is expected to continue – the United States must better align workforce skills with workplace demands to continue leading in the 21st global economy.  This session will focus on challenges to improving America’s STEM capabilities and solutions aimed at ensuring that Americans are equipped to meet the workforce demands of the future.


 

Session 401:
What’s Going on in New York City?:
Driving Successful Outcomes Through Effective Partnerships

Thursday, June 28
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Room A2

Matthew Goldstein, PhD, Chancellor, The City University of New York (CUNY)
Stanley S. Litow, Vice President,Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs, IBM and President, IBM International Foundation
Robert K. Steel, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, New York City
 Bill Holiber, CEO, New York Daily News (moderator)

Public-private partnerships in New York City are making waves and leading the way in better aligning education with the skills demanded by U.S. employers.  One of the best practice examples to be discussed during this session is the partnership between Cornell University, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and the City of New York to build an applied sciences campus in New York City.  Another is the partnership between IBM, the New York City Department of Education, the New York City College of Technology, and the City University of New York to create Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) in Brooklyn, N.Y.  During this session, panelists will discuss how each partnership came to fruition and engage in a dialogue about how similar successful partnerships can be brought to scale.


 

Session 501:
Mission Critical: The Government Demand for STEM

Thursday, June 28
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Room A2

Reginald Brothers, PhD, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research, U.S. Department of Defense
Brigadier General  Richard Keene, Assistant Vice Commander, USSOCOM
Claudia E. Pearce, PhD, Senior Computer Science Authority, National Security Agency/ Central Security Service
Joan P.H. Myers, Director, SOF & Cyber Technologies, Applied Research Associates (ARA) (moderator)

From NASA and HHS to DOD and DHS, the federal government relies on the specialized skills of thousands of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and other technical professionals—a workforce that has been integral in helping the United States maintain its perch as a global leader. In particular, top-notch talent with diverse backgrounds and problem-solving skills is vital to our economic and national security. But if America is to remain competitive globally, we must find a way to inspire and engage an increasingly tech-savvy workforce, as well as attract a suitable STEM talent pool. This panel will examine the various government STEM challenges, the impacts of the current shortage and future needs–and provoke thinking on the consequences of a federal workforce underrepresented in STEM.  


 

Session 601:
Your Credentials Please!:
Enterprising Pathways for STEM Careers

Friday, June 29
9:45 am – 10:45 am

Room A2

Andrew Brower, Associate Program Officer, W. K. Kellogg Foundation
 Lois Johnson, Director of Workforce, Innovate+Educate
Natasha Martell, SW Region Community Engagement Manager, Intel Corporation
Mike Wiggins, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Southwire
Elyse Rosenblum, Senior Workforce Readiness Consultant,Corporate Voices for Working Families (moderator)

More than 6 million young adults (ages 16-24) are out of school and out of work, but many of them are ambitious and eager for opportunities to maximize their potential.  At the same time, according to a recent McKinsey & Company report, more than two thirds of employers report difficulty finding skilled talent to meet their hiring needs, and the challenges in STEM fields are particularly great over the coming decade.  Come learn more about how companies are developing new sources of skilled and diverse talent.  The session will also include highlights from the White House Council on Community Solutions final report and New Options New Mexico (a project of Innovate + Educate) focusing on creating pathways to employment for these young adults.  New Options Project is a $30 million initiative funded by W. K. Kellogg Foundation.