GWD Sub-Committee Minutes
Life Long Learning – 1/28/00
Members Present: Acting Chair, Charlie
Cutler, Jean Eaton, Jan Cuccia, Steve Tufenk, Staff: Jeralyn Jargo, Ron
Dreyer, Matt Gunn
Guest Speaker: Becky Kelso, MHTA
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order by Charlie Cutler at 1:05 p.m.
Presentation on MHTA (with handout):
Becky discussed MHTA and it’s connection to MnSCU and the Life Long Learning
Committee.
History:
The Minnesota High Tech Council represented the largest technical businesses
and mainly helped to fund research at places like the University of Minnesota.
About 1½ years ago, they merged with Minnesota High Technical Association
(MHTA), which was a software trade association. It is now comprised of
750 businesses, ranging from very large to very small.
Concerns:
The lack of qualified, well-trained workers. According to a recent Department
of Economic Security study, there will be an average of 8,800 new Information
Technology jobs available per year through 2006 and only 1,000 IT workers
are being trained each year.
Higher Education is having a hard time keeping up with the rapidly evolving
IT industry.
The percentage of people aged 59 – 69 (the "Baby Boomers")
are increasing at a dramatically higher rate than younger people, ensuring
the workforce shortage will grow as they begin to retire.
Solutions:
Ensuring that all graduates have certain basic technical skills and
basic technical literacy, both in high school and in higher education.
Disseminating knowledge of available, higher-paying jobs to the incumbent
workforce.
Creation of a technical infrastructure which will allow telecommuting
to occur in rural areas. The problem with this, as Jeralyn pointed out,
is that 70% of the people in rural areas are already 2-income families.
Developing a sense of urgency among the populace about the existing workforce
shortage.
Discussion of Updated Mission Statement and Goals:
All agreed upon the suggested Vision and Mission Statements as well as
the Goals. Actions to be taken on each goal were agreed upon and recorded.
Future Meetings:
The following schedule was agreed upon:
|
Day
|
Date
|
Time
|
Place
|
|
GWDC - Friday
|
February 11, 2000
|
9:00-12:00
|
Veterans Service Bld. Conference B, fifth floor
|
|
Friday
|
February 25, 2000
|
1:00-3:00
|
WTC, Conf A (4th floor)
|
|
Friday
|
March 24, 2000
|
1:00-3:00
|
WTC, Conf A (4th floor)
|
|
Friday
|
April 28, 2000
|
1:00-3:00
|
WTC, Conf A (4th floor)
|
|
Friday
|
May 26, 2000
|
1:00-3:00
|
WTC, Conf A (4th floor)
|
|
GWDC - Friday
|
June 9, 2000
|
9:00-12:00
|
Veterans Service Bld
|
Adjournment:
The acting chair adjourned the meeting at 3:05
on January 28, 2000.
GWDC Minutes - Life Long Learning 28 Jan 00
|
