{"id":13322,"date":"2015-03-09T14:10:41","date_gmt":"2015-03-09T18:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=13322"},"modified":"2015-03-09T14:10:41","modified_gmt":"2015-03-09T18:10:41","slug":"chattanooga-named-lead-white-house-techhire-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2015\/03\/chattanooga-named-lead-white-house-techhire-initiative\/","title":{"rendered":"Chattanooga named to lead White House TechHire Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke announced today that the City is joining forces with Unum, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, and others to launch a new TechHire Initiative to increase access to technology training and IT jobs for Chattanoogans. The nationwide kick-off for the TechHire Initiative will occur today at the National League of Cities (NLC) summit in Washington D.C. where President Obama will announce twenty-one communities, including Chattanooga, to lead this effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear from companies that they have a hard time filling good, middle class IT jobs. I want those jobs to be filled by Chattanoogans, and this initiative makes that more likely,\u201d said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke.<\/p>\n

The White House estimates there are about 5 million open jobs today in the United States, more than at any point since 2001. Over half a million of those are in fields like software development, network administration, and cybersecurity, many of which did not exist just a decade ago.<\/p>\n

By utilizing public-private partnerships, TechHire is designed to empower Americans with the skills they need through universities and community colleges but also through nontraditional approaches like \u201ccoding boot camps,\u201d and high-quality online courses that rapidly train workers for a well-paying job. This training can often occur in just a few months, as many of these programs do not require a four-year degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to join in this important public-private partnership,\u201d said Kate Miller, Chief Information Officer for Unum. \u201cThe need for well-trained, talented technology professionals will only continue to grow, and using new approaches to training and recruitment will ensure we are successful in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of the initiative, the City of Chattanooga has convened a Task Force made up of key partners like Unum, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, EPB and the Lamp Post Group to determine the needs of employers, train new workers, and recruit candidates in underrepresented communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the Gig City, and we should make sure people have an opportunity to play a role in the Gig City,\u201d said Chattanooga City Council member, Chris Anderson, who also serves as Chair of the Council\u2019s Economic & Community Development Committee and was present at the NLC conference. \u201cThe first step is to educate and engage our citizens, so they can participate in these future economic development opportunities in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Local organizations that make up Chattanooga\u2019s TechHire Task Force include:<\/p>\n