A projected increase in technology jobs and a decrease in technology workers may result in a severe workforce shortage in coming years. The supply of Iowa technology workers continues to fall below the current and future demands of this important field. The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) Educational Foundation has developed and tested a technology career awareness program called HyperStream to support its key initiative of developing Iowa's future technology workforce. IPTV and the ICN are working with the program to offer ICN sessions focused on increasing student interest in technology careers. Three upcoming sessions introduce the Hyperstream project and provide the first mentor sessions.
In the general information session, offered on December 11 from 3:20-4:20 p.m., educators and administrators can learn more about the program. Launched statewide in September, TAI member-companies and their employees are striving to be the driving forces for increasing numbers of Iowa 8th–12th graders to pursue post-secondary technology education and prepare for Iowa technology careers. Through active partnerships between business and education, ambassador companies will work directly with educators and students by mentoring, starting HyperStream Clubs and supporting hands-on projects. Ambassadors, who are professionals working in the technology field, will directly develop our future technology leaders and contribute to the community. The ICN will be utilized as a way for ambassadors to reach multiple classes at one time. Educators and administrators are encouraged to join TAI project managers during this introductory session to learn more about this innovative project.
Mentor sessions will begin the actual process of bringing ambassadors from local industries to the students. These professionals will commit via the project to mentor a class for one year. The goal of this aspect of the program is to provide students with real-world experiences in technology careers and to understand jobs within a given organization. Through the ICN, more than one class will be reached and thus mentored.
The first mentor session, offered on December 16 and 17 from 11:00-11:50 a.m., will be presented by an ambassador from the Microsoft Corporation. He will talk with students about Microsoft and the job prospects within the company for students in Iowa. He will also talk about Microsoft’s role in this project and how schools can get involved with the Hyperstream project in Iowa. Of particular interest for this ambassador is the announcement earlier this year that Microsoft will open a new data center in West Des Moines. According to Gov. Chet Culver’s office, “The data center, described as the place ‘where the internet lives,’ is expected to house large-scale, worldwide Web services for Microsoft's online services business.”
An ambassador from LWBJ Financial will present the second mentor session, also offered on December 17 from 10:00-10:50 a.m. LWBJ Financial is an international company with an Iowa office. The ambassador, an accounting and financial analyst for LWBJ, will discuss details about her company and the importance of understanding and developing skills with software applications for professionals in her field. The CPAs and financial analysts who work for LWBJ must have technology skills to do their day-to-day work. She will also discuss how LWBJ hopes to mentor classes in Iowa and foster an interest in students in this career field.
If you feel that your students would benefit from this very worthwhile project, please go to the appropriate Transitions registration page by choosing the links below. LaShell Staley is also available to answer questions by phone at (800) 532-1290 or (515) 242-3144 or by e-mail at lashell@iptv.org.
General Information Session
Microsoft Ambassador
LWBJ Ambassador
