IT and New Media Roundtable Los Angeles

The Future of the IT and New Media Workforce in California

When: 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm March 1, 2010
Where: Garden Grove at the Hyatt – Orange County
What: IT and New Media Roundtable Los Angeles

The IT and New Media Roundtable Los Angels – The Future of the IT and New Media Workforce in California will be held in conjunction with the Educating for Careers Conference the week of February 28-March 2 in Garden Grove at the Hyatt – Orange County. This event will be moderated by Bill Cullifer, Executive Director World Organization of Webmasters (WOW) and Chair of the WhyITNow.org initiative.

The WOW organization, leaders from the tech sector, education, state and local government invite you to attend a IT and New Media Roundtable Los Angeles on building the IT and New Media workforce of the 21st Century in California.

Co Moderators:

* Vera L. Jacobson, M.A. Career Technical Education Resource Teacher Sequoia Union High School District
* Sheryl Ryder, Coordinator California Business Education Project Napa County Office of Education

Special Guest:

* Andy Vaughan Director, Strategic Programs Monster Public Sector & Education
* Sarah M. Vielma Consultant, Career and Workforce Development / Regional Occupational Program Los Angeles County Office of Education
* Gary Page, Consultant California Department of Education (CDE)
* Betty Jo Toccoli, California Small Business Association
* James Jones, Executive Director, MPICT San Francisco

California is in the midst a crisis. The state, the world’s eighth largest economy is being hammered by the deep recession, rising unemployment, a growing multi-billion dollar budget deficit and an unprecedented high school drop out rate. It also has the second highest foreclosure rate in the nation.

Today, the rules of economic engagement and competition are in transition. In combining the sheer pace of technological advancement with environmental and economic challenges, California and the nation is attempting to reengineer and reinvent itself all at once. In order for California to continue to lead the world in innovation and creativity, we must develop an advanced Information Technology (IT) ecosystem that is able to refresh itself with IT and New Media talent, creative thinkers and entrepreneurs.

President Barack Obama has proposed initiatives to dramatically improve teaching and learning in K-12 education, expand access to higher education and training, and promote student achievement and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. But a critical piece of this puzzle remains:

* Who will insure that we have the right people with the right skills to maintain and grow IT and New Media for California?
* Who will develop strategies to collect and disseminate information about opportunities and trends in IT and New Media?
* How will we improve collaboration between K-12, community colleges, 4-year colleges and universities, business and government?
* How can we aggregate an effective advocacy effort with state and national policy makers on behalf of the IT community in Sacramento and Washington D.C.
* How can we best promote diversity and serving under-represented groups, difficult to reach populations and non-traditional learning organizations including women and minorities and the incumbent workforce

Registration Information and More Detail:

Hors d’œuvres and light beverages will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. Representatives from both industry and education will be available answer questions. Table tops for education partners will be provided for the dissemination of education material and IT and New Media resources.

Space is limited so please register now! The cost is free to anyone interested in IT and New Media topics.

For more information and to reserve your seat contact Bill Cullifer at 916 989-2933 or bill AT whyitnow.org (replace the AT with the @ sign)

The Future of the IT and New Media Workforce in California

When: 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm March 1, 2010
Where: Garden Grove at the Hyatt – Orange County
What: IT and New Media Roundtable Los Angeles