A jobs program launched last year by Mayor Eric Garcetti is connecting young Angelenos with the training and skills they need to find opportunities in Los Angeles’ booming tech economy.
The L.A. Tech Talent Pipeline – a partnership between Mayor Garcetti and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s Bixel Exchange — is a component of the HIRE LA’s Youth program, and brings together public and private sector partners to expand training and job opportunities for the next generation of talent.
This year marked the expansion of the L.A. Tech Talent Pipeline. The pipeline will place at least 200 young Angelenos in tech jobs this year, which is double the goal reached last year.
“The global economy moves quickly, and we need to make sure that young Angelenos have the skills and networks they need to land good jobs. HIRE LA’s Youth is a springboard for career success, and the L.A. Tech Talent Pipeline will open even more doors to our city’s growing tech sector,” said Mayor Garcetti. “I’m grateful to the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce’s Bixel Exchange for their partnership, and to all of the companies helping to build the next generation of leaders.”
HIRE LA’s Youth is a key component of the Youth Workforce Development System in the City and County of Los Angeles, and a signature element of Mayor Garcetti’s agenda to strengthen L.A.’s economy. The program provides career exploration opportunities to low-income youth – specific opportunities are targeted to foster youth, young people from families receiving CalWORKs, as well as youth on probation, youth receiving General Relief, and homeless youth.
“In Los Angeles County, we know that our youth hold the hope for our future and their opportunity is the measure of our success,” said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Mayor Garcetti and our partners in the technology industry should be commended for creating the L.A. Tech Talent Pipeline, which provides a pathway for employment for at-risk youth in a growing sector of our economy, but also begins a comprehensive examination of how government, the private sector, and schools can work collaboratively to prepare our next generation for the workforce.”
“While L.A. has never had a shortage of innovation, we do have a shortage in our talent pipeline to the booming tech sector. At the same time, we have students who dream of a job in the tech industry,” said Sean Arian, President of the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce’s Bixel Exchange. “The partnership with Mayor Garcetti and the City uniquely positions us to serve both those needs by bringing major companies like Boingo Wireless, Snap, Inc. and mitú to the table with local schools and colleges to build a diverse local talent pipeline. We do that by facilitating activities designed to get students into tech careers, from field trips to hackathons, job shadowing to summer internships.”
“We are excited to help the Los Angeles Tech Talent Pipeline grow the local tech economy by sharing our unique insights into the tech skills employers need most, the workforce’s skills, and the gap between the two. This includes information into the in-demand tech skills across industries, and the ways in which curricula may be aligned across educational partners to train talent for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” said Pablo Chavez, LinkedIn VP of Global Public Policy and Government Affairs.
Mayor Garcetti has worked to create educational opportunities to set young people up for success. The LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program provides students with interactive after-school and summer S.T.E.M. programming in robotics, coding, digital citizenship, and science.
The Los Angeles College Promise guarantees admission and a tuition-free year at local community colleges for graduates of Los Angeles Unified School District and the city’s charter high schools.
Contact Lindsey Heisser, Director, L.A. Tech Talent Pipeline, at [email protected] for more information.
