We welcome spring this month with a great conversation with Margaret Anderson Kelliher, president and chief executive officer of the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA). We learned about the successes she has had with workforce development and placement initiatives — including those through the Creating IT Futures Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CompTIA. We also learned how advocacy and policy play into workforce development for MHTA member companies.
Can you describe the success you’ve had with workforce development and placement initiatives both through Creating IT Futures and other MHTA programs?
Over the past year, MHTA and the IT Action Alliance, a coalition of technology-based employers working to find solutions aimed at closing Minnesota’s IT skills gap, have been involved in a number of activities to research, align and encourage the further development of the IT workforce. MHTA conducted industry interviews, convened workgroups around pressing issues concerning the IT workforce, and performed background research about national and local trends. We also engaged MHTA Board members in review of IT Action Alliance research and planning and then gathered their feedback to align and engage more member companies.
Based on the feedback and outcome of these efforts, we decided to make this project a major focus of the association’s workforce development agenda for 2014. Throughout the year, we will present the findings of our initial research to member companies and request feedback from multiple departments within each company: human resources, operations and the executive suite. We are grateful to the Creating IT Futures Foundation for their support of this project. The funding they provided will allow MHTA to continue this work throughout the year.
What were some of the research findings?
Our work this year generated some interesting results. One of the most significant findings is that messaging needs to be a key [IT Action] Alliance activity for the coming year. Stakeholders indicated that the public opinion of the IT world and workforce needs to be updated and expanded. The IT Action Alliance will focus on targeted outreach to achieve these goals and increase employer/educator engagement.
Another important finding is the need to tailor solutions to individual company demographics. MHTA members represent a broad spectrum of company size, needs, demographics and cultures and the solutions should reflect that diversity to be successful.
We also realize that the many potential members of the future IT workforce may not see themselves as IT material. These often include people of color, women and even those who do not consider themselves smart enough to work in IT. In addition, stakeholders identified employing returning veterans as an evolving priority.
What role has advocacy and policy played in workforce development for your members?
For the past 30 years, MHTA has been the leading voice at the Minnesota State Capitol around issues of technology, science, entrepreneurship and STEM education. Recently, we have been able to build on this history through active engagement of our member companies and our elected leaders.
Our member companies need a pipeline made up of highly skilled science and technology employees — trained and ready to enter the workforce. To help build this workforce, we formed the IT Action Alliance; we created a paid internship program with the State of Minnesota for college-level students to intern for small and growing science and technology companies; and we act as a resource on STEM standards and programs.
We know it is critical to prime the pipeline in early education through twelfth grade by improving how STEM Education is delivered. It is equally important to increase the number and quality of two- and four-year college graduates in STEM fields. MHTA and its members work with policy makers to get the results we need to impact both of these areas. To celebrate the elected officials and build a stable of public policy champions, we created a Public Policy Champion Award at our annual awards gala.
What are some of your related policy successes?
Last year was a critical year for MHTA’s policy efforts: The state considered imposing business-to-business sales taxes on IT services and custom computer software development. This proposed tax would have significantly hindered the competitiveness of Minnesota’s IT sector and moved jobs out of the state. Thanks to the many MHTA members who called, wrote and emailed their legislators, testified at committee hearings and wrote to newspapers around the state, we were able to defeat the proposed taxes, saving more than $300 million in taxes for the IT industry alone.
MHTA was also fortunate last year to receive funding from the State of Minnesota to administer an internship program for STEM students at small Minnesota science and technology companies. The program pays for half of an intern’s wages, allowing the small company to receive subsidized, skilled workers and allows students to gain professional experiences that lead to good, entry-level jobs upon graduation. MHTA achieved this through strong policy advocacy, highlighting similar state investments in Ohio, Nebraska and elsewhere.
How has the TechVoice partnership helped in these efforts?
TechVoice has been an important partner in our policy efforts. The ability to utilize Capwiz to allow members the ability to connect to their legislators in less than five minutes with a targeted message on science and technology business issues has been invaluable. The Capwiz tool also helps us measure, track and increase the impact our members have at the state level.
MHTA members also value TechVoice partnership on national issues such as patent trolls and H1B visas. Our ability to use the research and writing of TechVoice to connect effectively and efficiently with our congressional delegation is helpful. By participating in the Washington, D.C. TechVoice Fly-In, we were also able to meet face to face with our Senate and House delegations. This helped us become a better resource to elected officials on issues of investment, workforce, entrepreneurship and tax policy.
