Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/607380
20 N E W N O R T H , I N C . "It's a quantity issue, not a quality issue," Lang says. Several non-traditional labor pools — from stay-at-home parents seeking to return to the workplace and veterans to the unemployed and working professionals seeking a second career — can also bridge the talent gap for the region. Oen, these candidates already have a college degree recent studies have shown girls begin to lose interest in technology fields by the third grade if technology is not incorporated into the curriculum. While the numbers are down, the curriculum and programs are seen as a strong foundation that will help the region meet the challenge as long as the numbers can be increased. enough students interested in pursuing technology-related degrees. "I think some of it goes back to the question of just what does an IT worker do," says Doug Waterman, dean of IT & Learning Innovations at Fox Valley Technical College. "IT used to be something you could put your hands around. Now, we don't have those clear- cut role models." e end result is that by the time Northeast Wisconsin high school students reach their senior year, just 14 percent express an interest in pursuing an IT- related career, according to the IT Talent study. By the time of graduation from a four-year college, the numbers drop to a few dozen, single digits for women. Technical colleges fared better, graduating nearly 300 in 2014, though fewer than 60 were women. But the college campus may be too late to reach out to women when it comes to careers in technology. Several IT TALENT cont. "I think some of it goes back to the question of just what does an IT worker do. IT used to be something you could put your hands around. Now, we don't have those clear-cut role models." – Doug Waterman, dean of IT & Learning Innovations at Fox Valley Technical College