Sustainable Talent May Require Growing Your Own

Are their intelligent people that never get the chance to become top talent because of a lack of skills training?

A new community training program in the San Francisco Bay area is based on the idea that we could address the STEM skills gap by providing low-income young people with access to tech training.

The Hack the Hood program should serve as an inspiration to businesses that are having difficulty finding the tech talent they need. Companies in need of tech talent should seriously consider training outreach to disadvantaged communities. The result could be a wellspring of sustainable talent.

How To Grow Your Own Tech Talent

Growing skills and opportunity in the Bay area

While the Bay area is known around the world for its high concentration of tech talent, the low-income young people that live there are largely disconnected from the industry and jobs that have been shaping the region.

Hack the Hood is a not-for-profit that looks to bridge that gap by introducing young people in the Bay Area to careers in the tech industry. The organization shows young people what skills they need to succeed and how to get on a career path in tech.

Young people can be tough and remarkable, with so a lot of hidden ability. However, for many, there is a disconnect with where they are in the moment, the future of technology and the future of tech hiring.

The good news is, young people are resilient, keen to learn and full of energy. When they go through Hack the Hood, they change from being kids who use just their phones to individuals who understand what their phones are doing, what coding is and where tech jobs are.

When they get through the program, they can progress to a coding boot camp, a community college or an apprenticeship program, and ultimately to tech jobs.

Companies need a reality check

The people behind Hack the Hood admit they’re not churning out the same level of talent as elite tech school, adding they they’re not trying to either. The program is designed to get young people to the next level so they can become mid- to entry-level tech workers. Companies need this level of tech worker as much as they need rockstar developers, Hack the Hood has pointed out.

The organization has suggested that companies should change how they think about top tech talent. Top talent isn’t just those people with elite skills, according to Hack the Hood. Top tech talent should also include workers who can jump in and hit the ground running, working to address a company’s IT needs as soon as possible.

Furthermore, if Hack the Hood can connect low-income young folks to successful careers in tech, employers should be able to do the same. Through internal training programs and outside opportunities, companies can grow their own talent pool and reduce their need to pay a premium for superstar IT talent.

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