Connecticut Releases Draft Plan for IT Workforce Development

With 26 percent more of its workforce involved in information technology (IT) than the national average and with IT-producing industries growing faster in the state than the national average, Connecticut has possibly felt the pinch of the IT worker shortage more than other parts of the country. Add to that the fact that the number of IT-related graduates from the state’s universities and community colleges declined during the late 1990s.



As a result, last year the state legislature ordered the development of a statewide IT workforce development strategy. Responsibility for the plan was given to the state Office for Workforce Competitiveness (OWC) and the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC). CERC is a private, not-for-profit 501(C)(6) corporation formed through a partnership of utility/telecommunications companies and state government in 1992.



The challenge for the state, according to the draft plan, is to integrate IT workforce skills development “in a practical manner across the full knowledge supply chain” of K-12, colleges, universities, and public and private workforce training and retraining providers. Addressing the Digital Divide within the state also is seen as a critical priority to protect and expand Connecticut’s competitive position in IT.



To ensure the IT efforts remain focused on meeting current and future industry needs, a new business-led Connecticut Digital Compact is proposed to oversee most of the plan’s implementation. Staffing for the Compact would be provided by the Office of Workforce Competitiveness.



Funding for many of the 26 strategic action items outlined in the plan would be provided by a new Digital Strategic Fund, to be managed by the Compact. The level of new state money required for the Fund’s initial capitalization is not identified in the plan. Intentions are to focus as many existing resources and additional industrial and foundation contributions as possible toward the plan’s implementation.



In addition to analysis of the state’s IT industry and presenting specific recommendations, Part I of the plan also benchmarks the competitive position in IT workforce development for six other states: Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Virginia. Part II, which describes Connecticut’s IT occupations, has been released as a separate document.



Both sections of Connecticut’s IT Workforce Development Strategy are available for download by clicking on “OWC IT/High Ed.” under Featured Programs at: http://www.cerc.com