Mission
Mission
Advance collaboration efforts that promote tech health of the region.
Vision
NEW Digital Alliance is the primary authority on IT/Digital Technology growth in Northeast Wisconsin.
Key Initiatives
- Promote:
- Showcase and promote regional high-tech organizations at a national stage
- Provide a platform for small tech companies to be exposed to regional and national businesses
- Advocate:
- Evangelize and promote IT/Digital disciplines and careers
- Advocate with Local, State and Federal legislature to promote policies and regulations favoring local IT/Digital needs
- Advocate with Financial Institutes to develop funding sources for startup businesses
- Research:
- Act as a reporting agency by collecting and reporting on regional datasets relevant to Digital space
- Conduct Surveys
- Setup Publications
- Act as a reporting agency by collecting and reporting on regional datasets relevant to Digital space
- Collaborate:
- Work with regional Higher Education Institutes and Businesses to increase collaboration, for example
- Setup Incubators/Labs
- Favor innovations
- Facilitate and advise startups
- Develop funding sources to take selected innovations to market
- Offer a platform for businesses to come together and partner in developing solutions
- Work with Local organizations to improve their access to the region
- Work with regional Higher Education Institutes and Businesses to increase collaboration, for example
- Advise:
- Work in Advisory capacity to directly work with area Universities, Tech Colleges and K-12 institutions to develop programs and curriculum that is in line with the business demands and needs of today and tomorrow
- Service:
- Develop programs to offer services to members
- Recruitment
- Business Expo
- Hard/Soft Skill development
- Develop programs to offer services to members
Impact
Since the NEW Digital Alliance was founded, we have seen:
- Increased awareness of the digital and IT talent shortage, and challenges in closing the gap among area companies as a result of the northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance economic survey.
- Increased energy and collaboration among companies and educational institutes around solving the digital and IT talent gap.
- Development of innovative programs that connect and inspire students and professionals to develop the skills they need to become the problem solvers of today and tomorrow.
- Development of 1+3 programs where high school students complete one full year of college credit while in high school, allowing them to complete a bachelor’s degree in a specific IT or computer science major in three years.
- Development of 2+2 educational pathways that allow technical college students in specific IT or computer science programs to transfer to a participating university and complete a bachelor’s degree in an additional two years.
- Introduction of TEALS (Technology Literacy and Education in Schools) (link: https://www.tealsk12.org), which is a Microsoft initiative that pairs IT professionals with classroom teachers to help teach computer science curriculum in high schools. Northeast Wisconsin is the first region in the state to adopt this program.