Prior to our formation as a non-profit, the MKE Tech Hub was incubated within Northwestern Mutual. When we formed as a legal entity, a small team continued to work with us as we grew to ensure a seamless transition to an independent organization. Valerie Linton-Reed acted as our operations leader as we established our governance model and business structure. She has done a fabulous job and is now transitioning to the next phase of her adventures as she retires from Northwestern Mutual. Aaron Davis, our newly hired Director of Operations, will now be leading day to day operations. A sincere thank you to Valerie for her passion and insights and we welcome Aaron.

Similarly, many of you have engaged with Christine Anderson and Jodie Peters with the newsletter, board elections, operational tasks, etc. Again, a huge Thank You to both Christine and Jodie as we could not have continued our 2020 progress without their help. Both have transitioned their responsibilities to Aaron, which makes the Coalition fully independent.  We can’t thank Northwestern Mutual enough for making sure that we started the Coalition on solid footing. It also provides opportunities for community volunteers to step forward to use your talents. If you, or someone in your team would be interested in gathering or writing articles for particular sections in this newsletter, let us know. We’d love to have the community’s help ensure that the newsletter continues to provide valuable information to our tech community.

As we enter 2021, we are excited about the growth of the Coalition and the impact of our programs and members who are committed to the mission of doubling tech talent in the region. This month, Experis, Harqen, and Trivium joined as Community members. The collective engagement and commitment to the region is having an impact.  Read the newsletter below to see how the MKE region was featured in a national TV show for our work in tech, improved our global ranking as a startup city, and was selected as an international STEM education city based on our collaborative work.

We wish you a peaceful close to this extraordinary year of 2020 and an optimistic start to 2021. We hope that you will join us in this mission to transform tech in the region.

Coalition Updates: Progress and Calls to Action Aligned to Key Strategies

Did you miss the Advancements TV segment highlighting MKE tech and member companies? Not to worry, you can view it on Amazon Prime or over at our YouTube channel. Thank you to Kohl’s, Johnson Controls, Milwaukee Tool, MMAC, Northwestern Mutual, and Rockwell Automation for participating and showcasing the tech happening in our region.

The Milwaukee Business Journal is seeking nominations for its 2021 Tech Awards. These awards recognize the top work happening in technology for area firms. Any businesses and projects in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties can apply. Deadline for nominations is set for February 19, 2021. More information can be found here.

Developing and Retaining the Next Generation of Tech Talent

Thank you to everyone participating in the Greater MKE Hour of Code this week! We’re excited to share that we are projecting to exceed our goal of 5,000 Hours of Code which is pretty exciting during a pandemic. This week, over 400 volunteers from more than 70 area organizations are demonstrating a commitment to local talent development by spending an hour mentoring students on the future of work in a digital economy and/or doing a tech related activity. We project that this initiative will reach more than 6,500 regional students.

We ask that all volunteers please take our Post-Event Feedback Survey after their activity by Tuesday, December 15, 2020. The Greater MKE Hour of Code serves as a spark but we are not done there. We want all participants to consider what’s next and how to stay involved.

It is exciting when districts/schools who participated in the Coalition’s first CSforALL SCRIPT workshop continue to act on their stated goals through activities like the MKE Hour of Code. Our member companies were excited to help out a number of districts with their events this year! Check out their KTEC’s story here.

The GM-STEM application was led by Milwaukee School of Engineering, the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, Northwestern Mutual and STEM Forward on behalf of the seven county Greater Milwaukee region.

These organizations will be working to launch GM-STEM with the purpose of creating a unified effort across the region to enable STEM partners to share, build knowledge and connect to ensure efforts in K-20 STEM pipeline development are effective and reflect the community as a whole. Those who wish to be involved and updated on GM-STEM’s efforts are encouraged to complete the landscape analysis survey to provide their contact information and thoughts on the state of STEM in the greater Milwaukee region.

To stay up to date on K-20 subcommittee priorities and progress, please check out our web page.

Developing new sources of talent and demonstrating the value of diversity

Since this initial announcement was made last month, we have seen an amazing response in applicant registrations via the www.ApprentiCareers.org portal (i.e. select ‘Software Developer’, Greater Milwaukee). Thank you to those directing applicants to this opportunity!

Applicants who pass initial assessments will go through interviews in December, employer interviews in January, and start paid related instruction on 3/1/21 via Tech Elevator. If your organization is interested in learning more, please see the following and/or contact LauraS@mketech.org.

The Coalition joined with iHeart Media and other partners to launch ReSkill MKE, an online resource center connecting people with local organizations providing jobs, training and programs that can help forge new careers.

The intent is to ensure Milwaukee’s workforce and employers have access to resources and information to find a career path or upskill employees in today’s tech-driven environment. The portal also shares insights from employers seeking qualified workers along with blog posts to assist workers, students and anyone looking to switch careers. Thank you to our members for providing such compelling content. The initial campaign runs until May, 2021. Learn more.

To stay up to date on Re/Upskilling subcommittee priorities and progress, please check out our web page.

Leveraging cross-industry partnerships to accelerate start up growth and innovation

This fall, our cohort of 58 founders advanced 47 business ideas. On Monday the 23rd of November, 26 of these ideas where pitched to their peers and mentors. Congratulations to the teams with the highest scores: STEAM MKE, Collectively Tech, and Sparkactect. We are excited about the future of all of the organizations and look forward to supporting them in their founder journey. Thank you for all of the mentors who participated. This continues to be one of the highest valued components of the program. More information is at for-m.org .

Wisconsin cities Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay and Appleton are rising among global startup ecosystems ranked for their ability to propel entrepreneurs, according to a new report. The 2020 StartupBlink report, which ranks 1,000 global startup hubs, shows that Madison rose 26 spots to No. 98, while Milwaukee jumped 31 spots to No. 132.

As part of Northwestern Mutual’s ongoing commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion and driving equity through innovation, the company announced new initiatives that will support Black startup founders nationally and locally in its headquarters of Milwaukee. The company's venture capital fund, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, will dedicate $20 million to investing in startup companies founded by Black entrepreneurs. The company also will launch the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator powered by gener8tor, a nationally ranked startup accelerator. Read more.

Northwestern Mutual is the largest provider of volunteer computer science co-teachers in southeast Wisconsin this school year through the Microsoft TEALS program. In honor of Computer Science Education Week, explore one volunteer’s efforts and insights in introducing computer science to Milwaukee-area students, virtually, here. What started as a spark through the MKE Hour of Code turned into a passion.

Northwestern Mutual's Neal Sample comments on how chief information officers working in large, traditional enterprises will effectively become, as Gartner calls it, “COO by proxy”.

Carroll University and the School District of Waukesha kicked off a new partnership during Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 7-13) to rev up student interest in computer coding at the grade school level. Over 1,125 students in more than 40 classrooms across Grades 3-5 were signed up for the virtual launch of the program. The bulk of teaching and learning about coding will take place in 2021 when Waukesha students will work with Carroll computer science alums Bob Graff and Lorne von Asten and current Carroll student, Meghan Gamradt. Brian Yearling, instructional technologies coordinator for the district, said Carroll School of Education students will be building the lessons for the program.

A poll of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Educators named Gearbox Labs' STEAM Curriculum one of the most valuable resources for teaching virtually. The book, kits, and online resources combined to make the curriculum one of their favorites along with WebEx, Tinkercad, and HyperDocs.

While students around the world are participating in the Hour of Code week, SHARP Literacy is coding all year round with elementary students in SE Wisconsin. SHARP's Design Through Code program teaches 3rd-5th grade students essential skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity all while learning the language of coding.

May 16, 2021 is the date we will come together in a new virtual format to recognize our future womxn technologists and their mentors. We are still in need of application reviewers to help select these outstanding individuals.

To join us, reply here! For information, visit our NCWIT WI website. Thank you for your support of NCWIT WI but there is much work to be done. For an update, read the NCWIT Scorecard: The Status of Women in Computing, for an overview of current state of our mission.

Volunteers needed! MARS Returnship is an on-ramp for women to restart their careers in technology following a gap in employment. Our second cohort begins mid-January, and we are looking for volunteers for the following:

• 1:1 Mentoring: we ask mentors to commit 1 hour, every other week

• Friday Fireside Chats: share your career journey & lessons learned

• Professional Development Sessions: open for topics of technology, career growth, personal development, or another topic of your choosing

• Mock Interviews: can volunteer individually or with department or group

To inquire about volunteer opportunities, contact abbyp@marssg.com. For more information about the program visit https://getreturnship.com/.

Assist i.c.stars |* Milwaukee graduates in fine-tuning their interview skills and provide helpful feedback as they look for professional jobs in this competitive market. Volunteers can expect to conduct a series of 1x1 mock interviews over the course of this 2-hour event. An interview guide will be shared prior to the event.

STEM Forward's Engineers Week Banquet is an annual celebration of excellence in STEM as the Engineer of the Year, Young Engineer of the Year, and Spirit of STEM Awards are presented along with thought leadership from a keynote speaker. This year it will be held virtually on February 17, 2021, in conjunction with National Engineers Week. More details to come. Consider nominating a candidate for the Engineer of the Year and Young Engineer of the year award by December 16, 2020.

Security is one of the hottest IT topics headed into 2021 and for good reason. Targeted security attacks and data breaches remain on the rise and pandemic related operational changes made many organizations even more vulnerable than before. Join Concurrency on Thursday, December 17th from 11:00-11:30AM CST to learn why Zero Trust Security featuring conditional access, micro-segmentation and modern desktop represents a compelling, proactive approach to enterprise security. We’ll share how organizations are using Zero Trust to mitigate risk and provide tips for assessing your organization’s security to protect your enterprise in 2021 and beyond. Register here.

WIT (Women in Technology) Networking Event

Connecting with each other at virtual events can be challenging. The objective of this event is to get some quality face time with other’s that have a passion for Women in Technology. Please visit: Women In Technology Wisconsin Inc. - Birds of a Feather Networking Event to learn more and to register!

Employ Milwaukee (Milwaukee County’s Workforce Development Board), offers a state certified IT pre-apprenticeship training program that helps prepare individuals for immediate placement in IT Service Desk Technician jobs or the selection process into a state certified Registered IT apprenticeship. The pre-apprenticeship training consists of 12 MATC credits leading to a Service Desk Technician Certificate. The next bootcamp style pre-apprenticeship cohort is scheduled to begin in January and will be conducted virtually. Interested individuals should contact Tony Thoummavong at 414-270-1714 or inquire here.

Employ Milwaukee (Milwaukee County's Workforce Development Board) is interested in convening an IT sector focus group to better understand Milwaukee's IT industry workforce needs and is looking for interested IT leaders to participate. Tentative timeline is mid-late January. If you are interested in participating, please contact Carrie Diener at carrie.diener@employmilwaukee.org or 414-270-1739. 

The group asks, if you are involved in one the above areas or would like to learn more to visit www.mkeesports.com or email brandon@mkeesports.com. Read more about the launch and goals of the organization Here.

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