Demographic changes are redefining the nation in many ways. From education to employment, who makes up the workforce is changing as well. At the same time, technological advances in industry require workers to be more highly skilled and advanced than workers of past generations. To ensure that the U.S. has the pipeline of skilled workers necessary to maintain the country’s global competitiveness, experts say that there is an urgent need to tackle the nation’s skills gap.
In this forum, The Atlantic brought together educators, employers and policy makers in Texas – one of the most diverse and economically prosperous states in the nation – for a discussion about workforce development efforts in the Lone Star State. How can Texas grow the job market for all of its citizens? What is needed to better equip the state’s new workers with the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy? How can Texas forge a workforce necessary to drive the state’s economic engine?
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Presented by
Speakers
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![The Honorable Steve Adler]()
The Honorable Steve Adler Mayor City of Austin, TX @MayorAdler -
![Andres Alcantar]()
Andres Alcantar Chairman and Commissioner Representing the Public Texas Workforce Commission -
![Ron Brownstein]()
Ron Brownstein Editorial Director Atlantic Media @RonBrownstein -
![Amanda Chiampi]()
Amanda Chiampi Director of Sustainability AT&T @amandachiampi -
![Emily DeRuy]()
Emily DeRuy Senior Associate Editor The Atlantic @Emily_DeRuy -
![Annette Enriquez]()
Annette Enriquez Graduate -
![John Fallon]()
John Fallon Chief Executive Pearson @johnfallon -
![Gerald B. Hallford]()
Gerald B. Hallford Student Lone Star College Tomball -
![Troy Kettell]()
Troy Kettell Chief Coordinator Alamo Academies -
![Eduardo Manzano]()
Eduardo Manzano Student Texas Southmost College -
![Bryan Miller]()
Bryan Miller Principal Eastide Memorial High School -
![Juan Sanchez Muñoz, Ph.D.]()
Juan Sanchez Muñoz, Ph.D. Senior Vice President and Vice Provost Texas Tech University -
![Raymund Paredes, Ph.D.]()
Raymund Paredes, Ph.D. Commissioner of Higher Education Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board -
![Jeffrey Parks]()
Jeffrey Parks Dean of Business and Technology San Jacinto College @SanJacCollege -
![Sterling Woerner]()
Sterling Woerner Student Texas A&M
Agenda
Note: All times are CT
- Tuesday, March 08
- 9:00 a.m.Welcome RemarksMargaret Low Smith, President, AtlanticLIVE
- 9:05 a.m.The Atlantic Media/Pearson Opportunity Poll Presentation Ron Brownstein, Senior Editor, The Atlantic
- 9:15 a.m.A Capital OpportunityThe Honorable Steve Adler, Austin Mayor
- 9:45 a.m.A New Model for High School: Alamo AcademiesAnnette Enriquez, Graduate, Alamo Academies
Troy Kettell, Chief Coordinator, Alamo Academies
With Emily DeRuy, Senior Associate Editor, The Atlantic - 10:00 a.m.Real Life: The Student Experience
Presented by our underwriter PearsonJohn Fallon, Chief Executive, Pearson
Gerald B. Hallford, Student, Lone Star College Tomball
Eduardo Manzano, Student, Texas Southmost College
Sterling Woerner, Student, Texas A&M - 10:15 a.m.Pathways to SkillsAmanda Chiampi, Director of Sustainability, AT&T
Bryan Miller, Principal, Eastside High School
Juan Sanchez Muñoz, Senior Vice President and Vice Provost, Texas Tech University
Jeffrey Parks, Dean of Business and Technology, San Jacinto College
With Ron Brownstein, Senior Editor, The Atlantic - 10:50 a.m.Under the Dome: The Role of Government and the Skills Gap Andres Alcantar, Chairman, Texas Workforce Commission
Raymund Paredes, Commissioner of Higher Education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
With Emily DeRuy, Senior Associate Editor, The Atlantic - 11:25 a.m.Closing RemarksMargaret Low Smith
