The Technology Alliance was founded over 25 years ago by individuals such as Bill Gates Sr., Tom Alberg, and Susannah Malarkey with the vision of positioning Washington state as a hub of the tech economy. They recognized the need for an educated workforce, research capacity, and a strong entrepreneurial climate to support a successful tech economy. The Technology Alliance was established to promote technology-based economic development and collaboration among elected officials, research institutions, and the business community to create a 21st-century economy that benefits all Washingtonians. One of their key objectives was to educate the community about the value of a technology-based economy and the public investments required.
Despite many successes over the past decades, challenges in supporting an innovation-based economy remain. The key requirements for an innovation-based economy include a skilled and adaptable workforce, abundant innovation capacity, and a strong entrepreneurial climate. The Technology Alliance’s mission today is to cultivate a skilled workforce, increase innovation capacity, and strengthen the entrepreneurial climate by fostering connections between the private sector, government, and education communities. The organization highlights various innovative sectors in Washington beyond just information and computing technology, including fusion, biotech, electric airplanes, clean tech, life sciences, aerospace, and software.
One area of focus for the Technology Alliance is the need for a skilled and adaptable workforce in Washington. Despite having high aspirations for post-secondary education among high school students, there is a significant mismatch between student aspirations and educators’ perceptions. This mismatch leads to a lack of support and information for students who wish to pursue higher education, resulting in a low percentage of students actually continuing their education. Additionally, there is a misunderstanding about the cost of college and debt burden, which may deter students from pursuing higher education.
Various organizations and institutions in Washington, such as the Gates Foundation, Washington STEM, and the Washington Roundtable, have conducted research on post-secondary education aspirations among high school students. The Technology Alliance emphasizes the importance of spreading awareness about programs and initiatives that support post-secondary education, such as increasing the presence of adults in schools to guide students, promoting the Guaranteed Admission program, and informing individuals about the Washington College Grant. By raising awareness about these programs and encouraging community involvement in supporting students’ post-secondary pathways, the Technology Alliance aims to address the low percentage of Washington high school graduates pursuing higher education.
The Technology Alliance encourages individuals to advocate for programs that support post-secondary education, such as increasing the presence of adults in schools to assist students in navigating their post-secondary options. They also highlight programs like Guaranteed Admission, which provides guaranteed admission to four-year public institutions for students meeting certain criteria, and the Washington College Grant, which offers financial support for various types of education. By promoting these programs and initiatives, the Technology Alliance aims to make a positive impact on the low percentage of Washington high school graduates pursuing post-secondary education. The organization emphasizes the importance of spreading the word about these programs to help more students access higher education opportunities and contribute to a skilled and adaptable workforce in Washington.
