Business POV

At the fifth annual iOpener event on August 24 at the Cultural Center, more than 200 Chief Information Officers from Chicago companies focused on a looming problem: a serious shortage of young talent and related perceptions that IT careers no longer represent a viable career path.

The event was put-on by i.c.stars (icstars.org), a non-profit organization that prepares inner-city young people for high-level careers in information technology (IT).

A recent Korn Ferry research study indicated that of 25 different competencies tested, the single most effective step that CIOs can take to improve IT's impact on shareholder value is to build the next-generation IT workforce.

The CIO speakers will focus on three topics - 1) Why is enrollment down, 2) what are the true employment opportunities in IT, and 3) What are the jobs that ONLY Generation Y can fulfill in today's global workforce. Michael Krauss, president of Market Strategy Group, and member of the Mayor's Council of Technology Advisors, will lead a large scale ideation session to gather and disseminate the audience's feedback on how and why careers in IT continue to offer good opportunities for young adults, as well as proven strategies that can be employed for attracting and retaining top talent.