Advancing Workforce Digitalization and Economic Inclusion
As technology continues to impact the development of our workforce, big questions are emerging about maintaining and growing economic inclusivity in the workforce. Those questions were the focus of a discussion the Bay Area Council convened on Tuesday (Feb. 19) with partners Microsoft, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the Brookings Institution and hosted Council member LinkedIn.
Celeste Alleyne, Director of US Citizenship & Public Affairs Education Lead at Microsoft, outlined the purpose of the event: “Our goal was to have an honest dialogue around helping our local communities understand how the future of work will impact youth and underserved workers. What is most compelling is that AI (artificial intelligence) will play a major role in how jobs will be created and re-invented. Our presenters and panelists highlighted how people can embrace this change and prepare for new jobs with training and support from key organizations. In summary, we must all lean-in to support the changes that are coming in the new workforce environment.”
Patrick Kallerman, Research Director at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, joined the panel discussion to discuss the Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future program, and the growing demands of the Bay Area’s tech workforce. Mark Muro, Senior Fellow and Policy Director at the Brookings Institution, underscored the importance of continuing to grow IT training opportunities through boot camps and apprenticeship for historically underrepresented populations in the region. As the region’s workforce continues to expand, the Workforce of the Future Committee is working to create more opportunities for the region’s diverse population to contribute to the tech sector. For more information about the Workforce of the Future Committee, please contact Senior Vice President Linda Bidrossian.
