City Club of Eugene, September 8, 2017

Recorded On: September 8, 2017

Air Date: September 11, 2017

The greater Eugene business community, especially its tech sector, has a critical shortage of skilled workers. A new local program called “Elevate Lane County” (ELC) has emerged to seize this opportunity.

Jobs in the 21st century require individuals with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets that will enable them to adapt to flexible workforce needs and to compete for high-wage, high-demand careers. ELC’s aim is to increase the number of local youth who have work learning experiences and access to technical programs prior to completing their education.

On September 8 at the City Club, ELC shared the results of the pilot year of the program which placed both teachers and students at tech companies for internships.

The speakers provided a perspective from the CEO of one of the companies participating in the program and the “lessons learned” from a school career counselor who has been monitoring the effort. The anticipated impact of this program on the economy of Lane County was also discussed. Dr. Gustavo Balderas, Superintendent of the 4J School District, initiated the Q & A session. This program is being presented in collaboration with the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) which is an organization of more than 400 Tech companies throughout Oregon.

Speakers:

Heidi Larwick, Connected Lane County

Jake Weatherly, SheerID

Amy Stranieri, Thurston High School

Copyright KLCC, 2017