Venture Connectors to host Louisville-area tech workforce development panel

Leaders from KentuckianaWorks, Code Louisville and The Software Guild to discuss how businesses can help grow the technology talent pool in Louisville

Louisville, Ky. – Venture Connectors will host a panel of experts on Feb. 3 in technology work-force development who will offer a “state of affairs” on technology talent in the Louisville area.

The group will also share statistics on tech talent profiling, recommendations on how to turn out more qualified graduates and how business leaders can assist in making Louisville a top destination for tech talent.

Panelists include Becky Steele, IT sector strategies coordinator for KentuckianaWorks and project coordinator for Code Louisville – a no-cost software development training program for adults who want to train for junior-level opportunities within the software development lifecycle; Rachel McGalliard, vice president of operations for The Software Guild, an accelerated, hands-on coding boot camp where participants learn software development in 12 weeks; and Rider Rodriguez, director of sector strategies for KentuckianaWorks and leader of the Code Louisville team.

In 2015, more than 280 adults graduated from at least one 12-week Code Louisville cohort, and more than 120 graduates enrolled in an advanced, second 12-week cohort in January 2016 to specialize in a high-demand software language. Code Louisville’s current goal is to have 100 graduates gain employment within the software development lifecycle by October 2016. The Software Guild has more than 100 companies in its employer network, a 95-percent job placement rate and master instructors with an average of more than 10 years of industry experience.

Venture Connectors’ luncheon meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Muhammad Ali Center, 144 N. Sixth St. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the meeting runs from noon-1:15 p.m. Registration is required at: www.ventureconnectors.org. Members attend free; associate members pay $30. Guests who register online by noon the day before the lunch pay only $40.