Five Questions With: Giselle Mahoney

Giselle Mahoney
Giselle Mahoney

Giselle Mahoney, manager of communications and media relations at Tech Collective, talked recently with Providence Business News about the technology industry association, its various initiatives and how a $7.5 million Ready to Work grant to help unemployed Rhode Islanders recently was awarded to Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston and the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island. Tech Collective will work with the agencies to deliver programs and services to develop Rhode Island’s information technology workforce pipeline.
She said IT and bioscience are the best industries to work in because not only are they always changing, but they are continually improving and impacting lives. “Sharing that success is my favorite part of the industry and my job,” she said.

PBN:How did Tech Collective begin and can you describe its mission?

MAHONEY:Tech Collective began in 1997 as an informal software association. A short time later, it was formalized as the Rhode Island Technology Council. In 2004, the organization expanded to become a recognized industry association and a Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island Industry Partner for the state’s information technology and bioscience industries. With this expansion came the official Tech Collective organization as we operate today.

Also with that transition came a two-fold focus: one to develop Rhode Island’s technology industry sectors at large; and one to develop its qualified workforce. Working with industry, government and academic stakeholders, for the past 10 years Tech Collective’s mission has been to inspire, engage, educate and employ a high-skill, high-wage Knowledge Economy in Rhode Island.
Since 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $8M in federal, state and private grant funding to foster industry collaboration, awareness and development through forums and initiatives including the Tech10 Awards, the Rhode Island Bioscience Awards, IT Managers Roundtable, Bio-Ed and Women in Technology. STEM-based education and training programs such as GRRL Tech, the Fellowship program and IT On Demand span across the workforce pipeline for K-16 students through incumbent and transitioning workers.

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PBN:What are the greatest challenges facing tech companies in Rhode Island?

MAHONEY:Talent, training and business climate. In January and March of 2014, Tech Collective released its IT and Bioscience Skills Gap Reports (respectively). The reports found that for both industries, employers are optimistic about their company and industry growth; however work needs to be done across a variety of levels. The reports also show that the industries have over-lapping needs as well as distinct ones.
For the Rhode Island IT industry, the need for entry and mid-level talent is its greatest challenge. Part of the challenge is there are not enough students graduating with IT certificates or degrees. Another aspect is the need for IT professionals to be proficient in not only their technical knowledge, but also their business and customer services skills. Technology permeates every aspect of a business – IT employers need someone who can understand the technological lingo and translate it to solve the business need. Career awareness and continued training opportunities for IT employees are critical to the growth of the state’s IT workforce and industry.
Across the bioscience sectors in Rhode Island, the challenge shifts to meet the needs of a young industry in our state. In addition to a few large bioscience companies in Rhode Island, the industry is heavily comprised of small companies and startups. These companies need support across the bioscience ecosystem –including venture capital funding, access to laboratories and work space, improved tax climates, and collaborative relationships with colleges and universities. The need for talent – and increased student awareness and enrollment – will additionally continue to grow as the industry does.

PBN:What kinds of job training/support does Tech Collective offer?

MAHONEY:Tech Collective works to holistically support Rhode Island tech companies at large.
On the industry development side,

  • We provide professional development and leadership opportunities and workshops, including special interest committees and forum tracks that bring industry peers together to share best practice and build community.
  • Serve as a marketing extension for many companies to help raise awareness of their news and initiatives
  • Offer an affinity purchasing and services program to help companies save on their daily business operating expenses
  • Work with higher education institutions to building academic-industry connection as well as work to connect recent graduates with entry-level experience and jobs through internships and our Graduate Fellowship program
  • Tech Collective’s Career Advisor works with the netWORKri offices to counsel unemployed or transitioning IT and bioscience workers as to training opportunities and job openings. In addition, our IT On Demand program was launched in 2013. Recently completing its second year, the program has graduated 31 underemployed or unemployed IT professionals. To-date, 22 graduates have become employed full-time within the Rhode Island IT industry.

PBN:Can you specifically discuss the $7.5M ready to work grant, and how that will help unemployed Rhode Islanders? What is the average salary for someone with an IT degree?

MAHONEY:In October, U.S. Senator Jack Reed announced Rhode Island has received $7.5 million in Ready to Work Partnership federal funding to address the state’s unemployment and workforce needs. The funds have been awarded to Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston and the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island, which will work with Tech Collective to deliver programs and services to develop Rhode Island’s IT workforce pipeline. Funding comes from federal H1-B Visa program revenues.
Over the course of four years, programs and services to be delivered through the grant will focus on developing the workforce pipeline for Rhode Island’s information technology industry, which currently employs 13,500 professionals and growing. Programs will range from comprehensive training such as our IT On Demand program to individualized counseling and training that would include both technical and customer service/business skill sets. Employer engagement and job placement assistance will also be components of this grant. The goal is to train and prepare more than 300 individuals to enter or re-enter the IT workforce with a focus on those who are long-term unemployed.
In general, nearly all IT occupations have a median pay that is above average, with salaries most commonly ranging from $50,000 to $110,000. From our recently graduated IT On Demand class, the seven participants who have been hired so far are earning an average wage of $66,000.

PBN:Tell me about Tech Collective’s initiatives in the schools to get students interested in the STEM fields and why do you think it’s important to reach the middle school age student – also do you know how many girls who participate in the GRRL Tech go on to pursue careers in STEM?

MAHONEY:Studies and advocates commonly show that interesting and engaging students in STEM at the middle and high school levels is critical to their future pursuit of the fields. Middle school age in particular is often recognized as a turning point, where adolescence begins and the pressures of peers and education increase. Students – particularly girls – can shy away from STEM due to gender stereotypes or a lack of awareness and perceived opportunities. Raising awareness among parents and educators is important as well – so students can feel supported in their decisions to pursue STEM versus receiving recommendations to pursue more traditionally “female-oriented” careers.
Tech Collective’s STEM in the Middle Girls’ Expo for middle school girls and GRRL Tech Interactive Technology Expo for high school girls work to erase these barriers through raising awareness and increasing opportunities for and participation of young women in the sciences. Recently completing its fourth annual expo, STEM in the Middle has reached approximately 400 Rhode Island middle school girls. GRRL Tech is now entering its 14th year. Since reaching its current size in 2009, GRRL Tech welcomes more than 450 high school girls each year.
Tech Collective currently is unable to track how many students graduate and enter the STEM fields as a result of their participation in STEM in the Middle or GRRL Tech. We do often hear from students, parents and educators about the impact the programs have had on students’ STEM education and career paths. In addition, since 2008 GRRL Tech has awarded more than $604,000 in scholarships to Roger Williams University and the University of Rhode Island for 14 students who attended the event to pursue STEM degrees.

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