Attracting the Next Generation

To collectively achieve synergy in recruiting the next generation workforce in technology-related fields by creating a shared resource that will be available to all in an interactive and flexibly manner.

Business Case

Numerous organizations and government agencies have efforts underway to address workforce issues in technology-related fields. Synergy among the different agencies and approaches has not occurred. Best practices need to be shared.

Technology-related fields such as information technology, engineering and construction are experiencing severe shortages of qualified personnel. This is a complex and multi-dimensional problem that includes a significant gap between the actual nature of opportunities in these fields and the perceptions of such stakeholders as potential students, teachers, school counselors, and parents of potential students.

We know there are many people and organizations working on different aspects of this problem yet, even in this day and age of instant communication, those efforts are undertaken in relative isolation.

The resource will utilize leading-edge technology that will provide new ways of interacting with and sharing information. Blogs and wikis are now commonplace, for example, but we are now seeing growing use of 3-D immersive environments that are worth examining for some aspects of this project. The online repository will be implemented using leading-edge technology that provides an interactive and engaging interface for stakeholders with a variety of needs.

Deliverable

Resources

• Army Corps of Engineers

• Construction Industry Institute

• Department of Education

• Association for Computing Machinery

• Association for Information Systems

• National Science Foundation