Bridging the IT Talent Gap:
Keeping Pace with Change Through Workforce Development

As demand for skilled talent increases, organizations must rethink workforce development

Technology is constantly evolving, but how is the workforce evolving with it? Finding IT talent with in-demand skill sets is a challenge that every company from a startup to a Fortune 500 faces, but recruiting the right workforce requires more than just finding someone with the right skills. Companies need to be cognizant of personal biases and make concerted efforts to recognize the potential in often overlooked populations.

In this presentation, Leslie Deutsch, director of learning solutions at TEKsystems, and Damien Howard, executive vice president of social ventures at Per Scholas, discuss effective strategies and real-world use cases on diverse recruiting and upskilling the workforce.

TEKsystems, a full-stack technology and talent services provider, has trained more than 600,000 students. Per Scholas, a national tech training nonprofit, has helped graduates in overlooked communities increase post-training income by 400%.

Per Scholas and TEKsystems came together in 2015 to develop strong and diverse talent pipelines across the U.S. Through this partnership, Per Scholas will train hundreds of people for careers in technology, including a significant number in network support positions and as full-stack Java developers. As a hiring and training partner, TEKsystems has hired hundreds of their graduates to date and is on target to hire hundreds more by 2022.

Hear about the current IT talent landscape and how to create opportunity. Consider how the IT talent gap has impacted you and your organization.

Takeaways:

• Prepare for change: the IT talent landscape is ever evolving, but we can create opportunity for individuals and our enterprises.
• Implement workforce development and focus on mindset and power skills—no matter the technology.
• Seek talent from diverse pipelines and utilize the power of customized training.

Speakers:

Leslie Deutsch, Practice Director, Learning Solutions, TEKsystems
Leslie Deutsch leads the Learning Solutions practice at TEKsystems, where she changes the way talent is prepared for ever-evolving technology. She has been with TEKsystems for more than seven years, innovating the organization’s approach to learning solutions and empowering customers for long-term success. In 2018, Leslie developed a Coding Bootcamp program for recent college graduates and junior-level professionals to provide resources, training, mentorship, and job opportunities through TEKsystems. Prior to TEKsystems, Leslie worked for a learning and development organization. Leslie earned her Bachelor of Science in information technology from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Damien Howard, Executive Vice President, Social Ventures, Per Scholas
Damien Howard is executive vice president, Social Ventures at Per Scholas. He is responsible for launching and scaling revenue-generating enterprises that fuel innovation and provide working capital to reinvest in all of Per Scholas' offerings. Prior to his current role, Damien led Per Scholas’ Employer Engagement team as well as the Asset Recovery service. He has been with Per Scholas for more than 15 years, helping drive Per Scholas’ long-term growth and entrepreneurial initiatives. Damien attended Baruch College and is a graduate of the Columbia Business School Institute for Nonprofit Management.

This presentation was part of Interop Digital 2020, held October 5–8, 2020. Interop seeks to highlight the best technologies and strategies IT professionals can use today to provide innovative, efficient and secure services that drive value within their organizations. As one of the longest-running and last remaining independent events for networking and IT pros, Interop remains committed to focusing on the needs of our community with cutting-edge and unbiased content. Learn more at www.interop.com.