However, in the workplace, they often aren’t prepared to deal with the rapid automation boom sweeping corporate offices worldwide, in fact, 68 percent of C-suite executives see a gap between candidate skills and job requirements. For minority groups who face additional educational and professional barriers, this gap is growing even wider.
If our next generation of leaders can’t gain the skills and support they need to succeed, we all risk falling behind as strategic competitors.
This skill gap often is caused by a lack of hands-on training and practical curriculum at the college level, plus a failure to cultivate the most in-demand workplace technology skills in all fields of study. Business leaders and institutions of higher education need to collaborate to meet young workers where they are and invest in solutions that better prepare students to enter the workforce.
According to Coursera’s 2023 projections, some of today’s most sought-after skills include artificial intelligence, machine learning, User Interface/User Experience, product management, project management, and digital content creation. These are skills with utility in all professions, not just tech — and even less tech-focused skills will increasingly rely on utilizing these tools to execute and compete.
Even though the members Gen Z are the most connected generation, they often don’t have the technological skills to drive efficiency and productivity at work. A recent Dell Technologies survey found more than a third (37 percent) of Gen Z respondents reported feeling their education didn’t prepare them with the technical skills they need to propel their careers, and a majority (56 percent) added that they had very basic to no technological-skills education.
The tech-skills gap is particularly concerning for communities of color, who are often left behind in the job market, perpetuating the wealth gap and limiting opportunities for upward mobility. For instance, Latinos account for only 8 percent of all tech workers, lower than the national average across industries (13.9 percent). As majority-minority cities like Miami, where 72.3 percent of the population is Hispanic, increasingly emerge as technology innovation hubs, it is vital to address the specific systemic barriers that exacerbate divides.
Businesses need to work with universities and community organizations to develop targeted solutions that meet Gen Z’s needs and specifically factor in underrepresented communities. Tech companies should seek to partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to develop new curriculua that serve greater numbers of minority students.
For these reasons, eMerge Americas is launching the Rising Stars program, which connects top graduating seniors with computer science and business administration degrees from local academic institutions, including Miami Dade College, University of Miami and others, with a network of corporate partners to place them at elite tech firms. In partnership with Millennium Management, the Rising Stars will be honored at the annual eMerge Americas tech conference where they will have the opportunity to network with top technology leaders and showcase their innovations. This type of program ensures Gen Z can build the skills they need to become the next titans of industry.
Developing intensive career development programs that help young people has been successfully done before. The Obama Administration’s 2015 TechHire initiative, which partnered with local organizations and employers to provide tech training to young people, particularly in underserved communities, was a resounding success. As of 2019, 80 percent of coding students that were trained through TechHire have graduated and overall retention is 92 percent.
Generation Z is the most ethnically and racially diverse generation in history – one in four is Hispanic, 14 percent are African-American and 6 percent are Asian. Truly closing the tech skill gap means addressing systemic disparities and designing training and mentorship programs that are accessible and relevant. Businesses must consider the specific barriers that stand in the way of success for underrepresented communities across the nation.
If we don’t intervene, the tech skill gap will only become more pronounced as Gen Z workers move up the corporate ladder. Businesses and universities must start building a pool of diverse, highly skilled individuals to keep our young talent from falling behind.
Investing in these measures today will create a more equitable and prosperous future for all. As an emerging tech hub, Miami has an opportunity to bridge these divides while continuing to fuel innovation — and build new models for sustainable, diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystems.
L. Felice Gorordo is CEO of eMerge Americas, a venture-backed platform focused on transforming Miami into the tech hub of the Americas. Its annual global tech conference will be held April 20-21 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
©2023 Miami Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
