About the #mketech K-20 Subcommittee The K-20 Subcommittee seeks to engage with organizations in the greater Milwaukee region that share a passion for our Vision, Mission and Values and would like to be actively engaged in our collective efforts.   Vision:  All students in the greater MKE region understand their potential to contribute to the #mketech ecosystem.  Mission:  Retain graduates with diverse backgrounds in the greater Milwaukee region (M7) interested in working in tech related fields. Values:  Strategies increase the likelihood for the upward mobility of underrepresented populations and reinforce Coalition members as employers of choice.

Initial Strategies/Initiatives 2020-21

• Demonstrate a Regional Commitment to Local Tech Talent Development – Bring together K-12 educators, higher ed, industry and community partners to expose students to computing and related disciplines and support the ‘What’s Next’ across key stakeholder groups. 
  • Sponsor the MKE Hour of Code with added connection points to other key strategies.  
  • Partner with the M7 and CESA1 on the Regional Career Pathways Initiative in MKE with specific support for the implementation of the Digital Technology Pathway.
  • Support events/programs/publications aligned with our committee’s mission, vision and values.  For example, STEM Forward, the Wisconsin Affiliate of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, and BizTimes “STUFF Designed, Made and Built in SE WI”.
• District Planning – Support K-12 districts with an interest in developing a comprehensive plan for computer science education.  
  • Sponsor CSforALL SCRIPT workshop for initial cohort.  Advance priorities identified by SCRIPT districts.  Specifically,
    • Support for K-12 CS curriculum alignment efforts
    • Coordination of industry volunteer requests
    • Clarification on certifications of value to employers
    • Visibility into higher education programming specific to tech, tech-enabled, and/or tech-adjacent careers.
  • Launch regional K-12 Computing Alliance to provide a coordinated response to identified needs for districts who participate in CSforALL SCRIPT workshop.
  • Build capacity for work-based learning to include co-curricular activities, curated projects, internships, and youth apprenticeships (that can bridge to registered IT apprenticeships). 
• College Internships – Develop virtual tech internship program to support college students in overall career/talent development goals and create a peer network of emerging technologists.
  • Collaborated with The Commons to develop and evolve initial summer offering in 2020. Please see the website for details.  
• Post-Secondary Transitions – Develop strategies to assist in post-secondary planning and workforce transitions
  • e.g. MKE Tech Career Expo, etc. 
• Attraction – Develop strategies to attract early career talent to region to support identified talent gaps.