WASHINGTON DC - Silicon Valley Congressman Mike Honda (CA-15) and CA Assemblymembers Nora Campos (San Jose) and Rich Gordon (Menlo Park) on Thursday, September 29, will lead a community dialogue exploring opportunities for expanding employment and economic activity in the region’s tech industry cluster. Building on a recently released study by four Silicon Valley workforce boards, the forum will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, September 29 in the Cupertino Room, Quinlan Community Center, 10185 N. Stelling Road, Cupertino.

The research study – Silicon Valley in Transition: Economic and Workforce Implications in the Age of iPads, Android Apps and the Social Web – proposed a number of recommendations for better preparing and connecting job seekers with available employment opportunities and for Silicon Valley to maintain its dominance as the world’s preeminent innovation factory.

“As the Silicon Valley Representative,” said US Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15), “I am proud that local community leaders are gathering for this critical discussion on workforce development within our technology sectors. The forum will help connect job seekers in my district to resources and information that can assist them in finding new opportunities. Stakeholders at the event will spur much needed dialogue and develop key action steps on the different strategies and job trainings that will help Silicon Valley maintain its local and global competitiveness.”

Thursday’s community forum will feature a presentation of the study from authors Stephen Levy (Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy – CCSECE - in Palo Alto) and Josh Williams (BW Research Partnership in Carlsbad). They will then join a response panel with Congressman Honda, Assemblymembers Campos and Gordon.  Kim Walesh, the City of San Jose’s director of economic development and chief strategist, will moderate the panel as well as lead a dialogue with audience members.

Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong will welcome the forum and provide context about the importance of the tech cluster to his city.

Audience members, including Silicon Valley tech employers, educators, economic development leaders, job training and workforce development specialists and elected officials, will have an opportunity to share their proposed strategies for regional prosperity both at Thursday’s forum and on a website dedicated to further the dialogue and collect additional workforce and economic development data to continually update the tech study process.

“We want Thursday’s event to be the first of many forums where key stakeholders can share strategies and resources for promoting and enhancing our global competitive advantages,” said Kris Stadelman, executive director of NOVA, one of the Silicon Valley workforce board study sponsors.

Released on July 19, 2011, the study found that the tech cluster is emerging from recession and would experience a 15 percent jump in high skill jobs over the next two years.  But in order to compete for those positions, job seekers will need to demonstrate entrepreneurial skills, flexibility, adaptability and a passion for life-long learning in addition to relevant technical skills.

The sponsoring workforce boards provide job training and career development assistance for job seekers, as well as connecting job seekers and local employers. Participating boards include NOVA, based in Sunnyvale, work2future in San Jose and San Mateo County and Santa Cruz County.  BW Research of Carlsbad, CA and CCSCE led a national research team that conducted the eight-month study.

http://novaworks.org/LaborMarketInfo/Reports/InformationTechnologyStudy.aspx