SVLG Education Leaders Summit: Closing the opportunity gap

According to a survey released by employment services firm ManpowerGroup, Silicon Valley is on track with the majority of the U.S. to increase hiring this Fall. Yet a problem remains. While there are jobs to fill, there is a lack of qualified talent with the skillsets to fill those jobs. Silicon Valley companies that need additional talent in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have to get involved in improving the employee pipeline.

Recently, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group hosted an Education Leaders Summit at Microsoft’s Mountain View campus and welcomed regional education leaders, elected officials and community partners to dicuss the future of Silicon Valley’s K-12 education. Local tech leaders participated in the “Business Perspective on 21st Century Skills” panel and focused on addressing the 21st Century skills gap that has educators and employers concerned for the future of high tech. Kristin Rhodes, general manager of Microsoft’s U.S. Education team (West Region), shared Microsoft’s perspective on contributing to Silicon Valley’s education system to overcome challenges and create meaningful programs.

Educators are having tremendous success in encouraging primary and high school students to pursue careers in STEM fields. But the challenge has now transitioned to universities, where there aren’t enough seats to meet student demand for continued education in STEM.

Through partnerships with organizations like ALearn, Partners in Learning and SMASH, Microsoft Silicon Valley is bringing much-needed attention to this existing education gap, and offering actionable ways for students to expand their skills. But more work is needed, and you can help by finding organizations without your community that promote STEM learning. Whether it’s one-on-one mentoring, offering skills and application instruction at a local school or making a financial donation, you can follow the example set forth by our educators and community leaders Get involved to help make a difference today.