Perspectives
The Partnership brought together the College Leadership Council for Regional Tech Pathways (CLC) for the first time in-person this September at Virginia Tech’s Institute for Advanced Computing in Alexandria.
The CLC is the Partnership’s postsecondary Community of Practice, bringing together academic leaders from 2- and 4-year institutions across the region to collaborate on meeting the region’s tech talent needs. Current CLC members represent:
- American University
- Gallaudet University
- George Mason University
- Georgetown University
- George Washington University
- Hood College
- Howard Community College
- Howard University
- Marymount University
- Montgomery College
- Northern Virginia Community College
- Prince George’s Community College
- Towson University
- Trinity Washington University
- Universities at Shady Grove
- University of Maryland – Baltimore County
- University of Maryland – Global Campus
- University of the District of Columbia
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Tech
The College Leadership Council focuses its work on four key priority areas:
- Strategy Development: With the support of the Partnership, the CLC creates shared strategy for tech talent pipeline development in the region from Baltimore to Richmond, including identifying opportunities for cross-institution collaboration.
- Elevation of Best Practices: CLC members and Partnership Board organization partners share best practices for tech talent pipeline development.
- Employer Signaling: CLC members support the Partnership’s Employer Signaling System initiatives, and serve as the first points of contact for major changes in employer hiring needs.
- Work-based Learning: The Partnership collaborates with CLC members to identify opportunities to expand work-based and career-connected learning for students in the region.
The meeting convened academic and workforce leaders from 12 postsecondary institutions and HR and talent leaders from five Partnership Board partner organizations: Capital One, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Inova Health System, and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
Showcasing Innovation at Virginia Tech
The meeting opened with a tour of the Institute for Advanced Computing campus, where Christophe Larroque, Virginia Tech’s Associate Vice President for Advancement, spotlighted innovation underway at the facility. CLC members learned about the sustainability features incorporated into the Institute’s architecture and toured areas used for cutting-edge quantum research, drone testing, local K-12 experiential learning, and real-world employer projects.
Cross-Sector Dialogue on Talent Development
Following the tour, attendees participated in a robust cross-sector dialogue on talent pipeline development. Top of mind for meeting attendees was the rapid evolution of the region’s tech labor market. This evolution calls for intentional partnerships in order for both educators and employers to keep pace with shifting demands.
Key topics discussed included:
- AI’s impacts on the labor market, particularly for entry-level tech talent
- The importance of work-based learning, so that students are equipped with future-ready durable and professional skills through their coursework
- Upskilling and reskilling efforts for current workers in response to technology’s evolution, and ways educational institutions can support these initiatives
- Opportunities to support nontraditional students like veterans and other adult learners in their transition from education into the workforce
Strengthening Employer-Educator Partnerships
This fall’s CLC meeting underscored the value of direct employer-educator engagement. These face-to-face exchanges allow HR leaders and academic administrators to align on workforce needs, discuss the changing knowledge, skills, and abilities desired for entry-level roles, and identify opportunities for partnership, whether on curriculum development or work-based learning opportunities for students.
Looking Ahead
The Partnership is committed to continuing to support the CLC and fostering the collaboration needed to strengthen the region’s talent pipelines. The CLC is one component of the Partnership’s postsecondary engagement, which also includes the Collaborative of Leaders in Academia and Business (CoLAB) Principals Convening, an annual meeting of the region’s college presidents and our Board, and the Future of Talent Partnership Conversation Series, which has examined the role of higher education in workforce development.
To learn more about the College Leadership Council, please email Kim Sarro at [email protected].
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