Greater Washington Partnership Emerging Tech Talent Scholarship Awardees Gain Expert Career Insights to Score Region’s In-Demand Tech Jobs
Amazon, Capital One, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Among Companies at Tech Career Day at Amazon
Washington, DC, May 1, 2024 – Greater Washington Partnership (“the Partnership”) held the third annual Emerging Tech Talent Scholarship Day, hosted by Amazon at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Skills Center Arlington and HQ2 in Arlington, Va. The event brought together diverse student scholars from leading universities to network and receive tech career insights from experts from top regional employers, including Amazon, Capital One and Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
The Emerging Tech Talent Scholarship is an initiative aimed to support students from underrepresented populations to join the tech workforce by equipping them with essential skills for careers in technology, like cybersecurity, data analytics and software development. The Partnership has awarded over 390 scholarships since 2021 for students from 14 universities across Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia, thanks to generous contributions from the Deloitte Foundation, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and T. Rowe Price.
“Our Partnership Board represents some of the region’s top employers, and over the coming years, we expect to see thousands of job openings at these companies and beyond in data analytics, cybersecurity, networking and other pathways related to digital technology,” said Kathy Hollinger, CEO of Greater Washington Partnership. “Together, we are cultivating the future of our region’s growing tech workforce and strengthening talent pipelines that help fill in-demand tech job openings from Baltimore to Richmond.”
The 2024 Emerging Tech Talent Scholarship Day offered an immersive 2.5-hour experience. Beginning with an open house at the AWS Skills Center Arlington, student scholars explored interactive tools in cloud computing followed by a panel discussion with regional tech industry experts who talked about their industry’s most in-demand digital tech skillsets and how students can prepare for competitive job listings. Students heard from Simon Morrison, Amazon Public Policy, AI and Privacy; Carter Bristow, Capital One’s associate Software Engineer; and Andrew McNeill, vice president of Esports, Monumental Sports & Entertainment. During the discussion, panelists shed light on the day concluded with an exclusive tour of Amazon HQ2.
According to Greater Washington Partnership Board company McKinsey, there are approximately 135,000 tech and tech-adjacent job openings in the Baltimore-Richmond corridor – double the number in Silicon Valley. A key resource the Partnership uses to address talent gaps is the Employer Signaling System (ESS), a differentiating tool informed by employers and labor market data that helps educators prepare students to fill some of the most in-demand tech jobs. By bringing universities and employers together, we aim to bridge the talent gap and build talent pipelines that retain top graduates from across the region.
This event builds on the Partnership’s commitment to bringing students, educators and employers together from across the region. Emerging Tech Talent Scholarship recipients include students from 14 leading universities across the region, including American University, Bowie State University, University of the District of Columbia, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Hood College, Howard University, Marymount University, University of Maryland Global Campus, Towson University, Trinity Washington University, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.
About Greater Washington Partnership
Greater Washington Partnership is the first-of-its-kind nonprofit alliance of the region’s most influential and leading employers across industry sectors in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC – all committed to championing the region’s economic growth and vibrancy. Together, we leverage our collective experiences, resources and assets to identify shared challenges and offer real solutions to the region’s most critical issues including skills and talent, regional mobility, infrastructure and inclusive growth. Our goal is to ensure the entire region, from Baltimore to Richmond, remains vibrant, economically competitive, prosperous for all and is the best place to live, work and build a business. Learn more about the Partnership at greaterwashingtonpartnership.com.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.