During any given quarter in the U.S. economy about half a million jobs working with technology go unfilled because employers can’t find candidates with the right mix of hard technical skills and oft-called business “soft skills,” such as communication and collaboration acumen. Who can fill this tech skills gap? Author, podcaster and social innovator Charles Eaton believes today’s teens are one rich source of talent. “People who succeed in technology are problem solvers who care about other people and the overall quality of their lives,” says Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures and executive vice president, social innovation for CompTIA, an IT trade association. “The earlier we can develop and support an interest in tech careers in this next generation of young people, the stronger our industry will become and the more our economy will grow.” “It’s tempting to see educators and technical trainers as the answer to launching your teen’s career in technology,” Eaton adds. “But the secret isn’t just creating curriculum but creating inspiration. And not just in children, but in parents, too. Our research shows that, in terms of advice on college and careers, teens rely on parents 2-to-1 over any other source, including teachers and friends.”
About the Author: Charles Eaton, CEO Creating IT Futures and Executive Vice President, Social Innovation, CompTIA
CHARLES EATON is a father to four children, ranging from elementary school age to working adult, and leads three philanthropic endeavors for CompTIA, the world’s largest IT trade association. As executive vice president of social innovation, Eaton oversees NextUp, CompTIA’s newest initiative to introduce teens to the possibilities of tech careers, and CompTIA Giving, which supports tech-focused charities through – financial and volunteer resources. As the CEO of Creating IT Futures, he leads CompTIA’s IT workforce charity which enables people to improve their lives through employment in the IT industry. Eaton joined CompTIA in June 2010 and has 23 years of nonprofit management experience. Prior to joining CompTIA, he was responsible for fundraising, business development and marketing for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), a growing healthcare association focused on improving healthcare quality and patient safety. Before joining APIC, Eaton was vice president of member relations for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which stages the largest tradeshow in North America, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Eaton graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Duke University.
QUOTES: “IT careers are a great choice for many students who may not see a col-lege degree in their immediate future. These jobs are readily available, pay family-sustaining wages, and offer multiple paths for career progres-sion. Because in virtually every case they involve advanced training lead-ing to industry recognized credentials, these jobs are less susceptible to loss during an economic downturn. Like many other middle-skill jobs, there are more jobs than there are qualified applicants. Charles Eaton’s book will help you understand that if your teen enjoys solving problems, an IT career may be right for them.” — Randy Trask, President and CEO, GED Testing Service “As a woman, mother, and champion of women in IT, I found this book an excellent resource for encouraging teenagers, and especially girls, to consider a career path in technology. This book does a great job of bust-ing myths about technology careers and providing food for thought about how to get an early start on a rewarding and challenging career path.” —Rebekah Harvey, Ph.D. Principal Consultant and Co-Founder of LearnPlayDo “Our economy is built on entrepreneurship and innovation. Much of this will continue to be driven by technology. More of our youth must be ex-posed to possible careers in this field for America to remain strong and vibrant for many generations to come. It is critical that parents under-stand these opportunities and encourage their children to explore what a technology career could do for their future.” — Plinio Ayala, CEO & President, Per Scholas REVIEWS: By Brian Sonnier on GoodReads ( http://bit.ly/TinSTEMGodReadsRev ) "Who it’s for: Parents, Guardians, and anyone interested in helping teens succeed in our changing world. This book is a step-by-step guide for parents to help teen’s understand the need to broaden their definition of technology. Readability: HIGH! At 96 pages, this book is not overly complicated, erudite or obtuse. In plain English the author efficiently guides the reader to the understanding that there is more to technology than just computer programming and hardware. This book is also very entertaining to read with excerpts from professionals in the technology fields and firsthand accounts of the need for a better understanding of technology related fields. What I liked about it: I loved the fact that this book backed up its assertions with data that highlights the need for jobs that are outside of the “doctor or lawyer” paradigm. This book addresses the fact that currently we have a shortfall in the United States of talented people who can do jobs that are in high demand related to STEM careers. This book also makes a point to point out that STEM jobs are not just for White males or Asians, emphasizing a need for diversity in STEM careers. What I did not like about it: The only thing that I would have changed about this book would be to have more of it. It was great to read about those in Technology fields and I liked the fact that the author included a healthy distribution of individuals, but I would have loved to hear more from those that he interviewed for the book. I really enjoy firsthand accounts of industry, so for me more stories would have been great. Overall, I think this is a great book!"
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Book Author
CEO Creating IT Futures and Executive Vice President, Charles Eaton, CompTIA, Social Innovation
