WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recognizes the importance of continuing to build the skills of its workforce in information technology to strengthen its ability to compete and sustain the long-term economic growth of the knowledge economy; and
WHEREAS, the Conference agreed by resolution at the Twenty-sixth Conference to cooperate in addressing regional information technology workforce needs to enhance and build upon state and provincial initiatives already under way; and
WHEREAS, a highly successful and widely acclaimed conference entitled IT Workforce Development 2002: A Call to Action was convened in Connecticut by Governor John Rowland, under the auspices of the Conference, to discuss key issues such as: workforce development, building educational excellence, career awareness and internships, research and development, technology incubation and commercialization and access to financing in order to build the knowledge economy of New England and Eastern Canada; and
WHEREAS, significant gaps will persist in meeting the information technology workforce demands in New England and Eastern Canada over the next five to ten years.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NEG/ECP recognize the need for regional action to strengthen and achieve synergy among these individual state and provincial efforts in information technology; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference propose that initial action steps be taken over the course of the next year in the following areas identified through a process involving policy experts from each member of the Conference. These initial action steps in regional information technology workforce development should involve:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference direct its task force to report at the 28th Annual Conference in 2003.
Adopted at the 27th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, August 25-27, 2002.