MJ Shoer has big ambitions to close the tech workforce gap as new CEO of CompTIA Spark
MSP Success Magazine – (article excerpt) When we look at the children in our lives, we might see disheveled hair, endless curiosity and, perhaps, a proclivity toward viral TikTok videos. What MJ Shoer sees is the future of our country’s workforce and economic and national security. But cultivating in-demand tech skills in kids isn’t simple or easy. Teachers are under more pressure than ever to meet the basic educational requirements of students post-Covid, let alone develop a curriculum for the fast-evolving tech industry. A Pew Research Center study reported that only 29% of Americans believe that the U.S. STEM education is above average.
“The middle-school-age youth is where the real opportunity is because by the time a kid gets to high school, they’re probably already on a career track because of things their family or adult influencers have said to them,” Shoer explains.
Earlier this month, Shoer was named the new chief executive officer at CompTIA Spark (formerly Creating IT Futures Foundation), the nonprofit social innovation and impact arm of the industry trade association. His mission is to address the workforce gap at its roots – in middle school education. Shoer will also continue to serve as chief community officer at CompTIA, a position he’s held since January 2022.
Read the full article by Allison Troutner
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