LinkedIn like tool aims to address tech talent gap by connecting teachers, industry pros
July 21, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
Kansas City Tech Council and Blue Ocean Consulting have teamed together to create a software solution to address the talent gap in the tech industry.
iSpeakSTEM.com is a proprietary software system that aims to build a bridge between the business and education communities. Launching in Kansas City classrooms this fall, the software connects teachers with industry professionals, their network and resources.
After beta testing the software, Liberty Public Schools administrator Colleen Jones said that iSpeakSTEM offers teachers simplicity and convenience.
“It reminds me of a LinkedIn tool for education,” Jones said in a release. “You’re able to see potential speaker’s profiles, find out where they work, and review a brief write up of their experience. I don’t have to beat down doors of companies and beg to get someone to come in and meet with our kids. They come to us.”
The tech industry is responsible for nearly 100,000 jobs in the Kansas CIty economy and the industry is growing. Currently, the demand for tech jobs far outweighs the supply of talent. In May, the KC Tech Council released a report stating that in 2016 there were 4,699 open tech jobs in Kansas City that have yet to be filled.
KC Tech Council president Ryan Weber said that iSpeakStem will fill the gaps, allowing Kansas City to continue its growth as a tech hub.
“It’s a fact that across the nation, we’re facing a shortage of tech skills,” Weber said in a release. “So it becomes our responsibility to increase the number of students we reach every year in order to bridge the gap.”
The technology will integrate STEM education into elementary, middle and high school curriculum. Blue Ocean Consulting President Scott Carson said that iSpeakSTEM platform offers educators the resources they seek.
He believes that getting more educators into the classroom will help students.
“There are so many professionals out there who are untapped but willing to get in a classroom and share their knowledge and information,” Carson said in a release. “It makes the process and the connection much more efficient for both teachers and business leaders. By opening this door and connecting these two worlds, we’re certain it will lead to increased opportunities and possibilities for these students.”
iSpeakSTEM will launch in Kansas City area classrooms this fall. For more information, visit the website here.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Rhinestone’d to RuPaul reality: Fan-turned-KC fashion icon shines with ‘Drag Race’ design
RuPaul may not know Whitney Manney’s name, but the “Drag Race” host is now acquainted with the Kansas City fashion designer’s work, she said. The owner of the KC-based WHITNEYMANNEY label had the “wild experience” of designing and constructing the trans-pride, “Troop Beverly Hills”-inspired entrance look for Monica Beverly Hillz for Season 8 of “RuPaul’s…
Emerging esports org sets sights on sustainability, says it’s leveling up with industry veterans
A new esports organization has hit the ground running — and winning — less than six months since its founding, according to its Kansas City co-founder. M80 is set up for sustained success not just because the organization’s Valorant and Rainbow Six teams already boast one championship apiece, Nate Schanker said, but also thanks to…
How a Bonner Springs-based design firm turned a napkin sketch into this state-of-the-art camper
Whether a user is 51,000 feet in the air, or traveling across the Rocky Mountains on a camping trip, Infusion Design is focused on designing spaces that perform at the highest level for what a person needs and desires, said Sean Elsner. The company was always meant to stand out from the competition, the Infusion…
These two Small Biz of the Year finalists are among the half-dozen KC firms honored as Inc.’s ‘Best Workplaces’
A workplace in the era of talent shortages and a hyper-competitive jobs market is only as good as its ability to meet employees’ nuanced needs, said Melea McRae, a top founder whose marketing company was among six Kansas City firms selected for Inc. magazine’s Best Workplaces list. “Through our un-agency business model, we’ve built a…