28th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers

WHEREAS, New England and Eastern Canada have among the highest concentration of information technology workers, with major specializations in high skill, high wage information technology occupations, which are integral to the region’s high tech computer, electronics and communications sectors, as well as other industries such as traditional finance, insurance and manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers continue to recognize the importance of building the skills of its workforce in information technology to strengthen its ability to compete and sustain long-term economic growth of the knowledge economy; and

WHEREAS, the Conference agreed by resolution at the Twenty-seventh Conference to continue to cooperate in addressing regional information technology workforce needs to enhance and build upon state and provincial initiatives already underway; and

WHEREAS, current economic and workforce data suggests that significant gaps will persist in meeting the information technology workforce demands in New England and Eastern Canada over the next five to ten years; and

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NEG/ECP continues to recognize the need for regional action to strengthen and achieve synergy among these individual state and provincial efforts in information technology, particularly with respect to improving regional broadband connectivity and the availability of timely and accurate IT workforce data; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers directs the IT Working Group to explore:

   
• Linking Regional and Educational Networks;
     
     
   
• Establishing a Regional Center for Information Systems Security (CISS)
     
     
   
• Regional Job Vacancy Survey;
     
     
   
• Assessing the Region’s Access to Broadband for its Businesses and Communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference direct the IT Working Group to report at the 29^th Annual Conference in 2004. 

Adopted at the 28^th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, September 7-9, 2003.

John G. Rowland
Governor of Connecticut
Co-chair

Bernard Lord
Premier of New Brunswick
Co-chair