Guest post written by Aimee Sprung, Civic Engagement Manager at Microsoft New England
The nature of work and the workforce is changing. New jobs require new skills. Throughout the U.S., across a wide range of industries, there is a talent crisis for workers trained in the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. By 2018, there will be 1.5 million computer science-related jobs available in the U.S. yet roughly only one third of U.S. graduates will be qualified for these positions.
In my role at Microsoft, I have the opportunity to meet many amazing teachers and students and learn about some of the truly AWESOME programs that are already taking place in Massachusetts to address the talent gap. And there are terrific ways to get support these programs with your time. Check out some of these great programs happening in the next month:
Technovation: Twelve week mentoring program leading high school and middle school female students working in teams to develop mobile apps, conduct market research, write business plans, and create a “pitch” for funding. The goal of the program is to inspire girls to see themselves not just as users of technology, but as inventors, designers, builders and entrepreneurs.
Boston Public Schools Job Shadow Day: Sign up to participate in Job Shadow Day and demonstrate a commitment to supporting and improving the community by introducing and mentoring to new career opportunities.
WECode Tech Interview and Resume Bootcamp. WECode is looking for experienced engineers to deliver sample interviews to talented and motivated students. The bootcamp will take place Saturday, February 8 from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Interviewers will be provided with a list of sample technical questions and a checklist for resume review, so the preparation for this bootcamp will be minimal.
I am excited to be signed up to mentor a Technovation team and proud that Microsoft employees are participating in the Job Shadow Day and WECode Interview Bootcamp. These programs are critical to preparing our children for STEM jobs of the future. I hope you’ll join me in volunteering or share other opportunities with me via this blog or twitter @asprung.