As technology continues to drive all aspects of industry and society, statistics conversely show that a large percentage of companies are struggling to fill tech positions.
A recent global report from Gartner via Forbes states that IT executives list talent shortages as the most significant barrier to the adoption of 64 percent of emerging technologies, ahead of cost and security. And according to the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, while the Greater Philadelphia region's tech workforce is large and growing, many regional IT employers are still struggling to fill high-skill tech job openings.
In response to these concerning trends, Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) hosted its first-ever Industry Summit on Tech Talent Supply on Nov. 3 at the Quorum at 3675 Market Street.
Presented by CCI’s Corporate Partners Program (CCP), the Summit served to introduce industry members to College’s many resources to help grow the Greater Philadelphia region’s tech talent supply and research innovation, as well as academic opportunities for reskilling and upskilling employees.
“Given the continued economic aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important more than ever for academia to support industry in averting an even bigger tech talent shortfall” says Isaac L. Auerbach Professor and Dean Yi Deng, PhD. “As the top tech talent generator in the region, CCI is well-positioned to strengthen and grow our region’s tech ecosystem and economy.”
More than 100 attendees, hailing from 20 companies, were able to share and discuss their organizations’ tech talent needs and challenges through various break-out sessions, as well as meet and talk to CCI students, faculty and professional staff at a College-wide research showcase.
Established in 2017, CCI’s Corporate Partners Program empowers corporations, non-profits and start-ups of all industries and sizes to engage with one of the nation’s most industry-responsive computing and informatics colleges. Partnerships are tailored to meet each partners’ business goals and features a variety of opportunities for networking and involvement in College events, research and academic programming. To learn more about the program and view our current partners, please visit the Corporate Partners Program webpage.