Resolution Issued Tuesday, Aug. 28

The following is a resolution issued Tuesday, Aug. 28, during the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers Annual Conference in Westbrook, Connecticut.

RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A JOINT NEW ENGLAND AND
EASTERN CANADIAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE EFFORT

WHEREAS, New England and Eastern Canada have among the highest concentration of information technology workers in the nation, with major specializations in high-skill, high-wage information technology occupations, which are integral for the region's high- tech computer, electronics, e-commerce and communications sectors, as well as other industries such as finance, insurance and manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, the conference of New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers recognizes the importance of continuing to build the skills of its workforce in information technology to strengthen its ability to compete and sustain the long-term economic growth of the knowledge economy; and

WHEREAS, the development of a highly-skilled, well-educated workforce was identified at the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Knowledge Industry Innovators' Forum as an important building block for the continued development of the knowledge economy in the region; and

WHEREAS, the conference of New England governors have worked together to identify potential regional activities to address the issue of information technology workforce development; and

WHEREAS, New England governors and Eastern premiers recognizes the importance of the ability to predict and respond to the changing information technology workforce needs will be critical to maximizing opportunities to develop the region's knowledge economy in the future.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the conference of New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers will co-operate in addressing regional information technology workforce needs to enhance and build upon state and provincial initiatives already underway; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the conference task a group of key knowledge industry stakeholders to work together to identify appropriate actions to:

• identify, develop and promote the adoption of appropriate
  skill standards and assessment tools to ensure the region's
  education and training institutions and their graduates are
  recognized internationally for excellence; and

• improve regional information technology workforce projections
  and analysis initiatives in order to better anticipate and
  adapt to the changing needs of the knowledge economy; and

• develop networks and share best practices on a regional basis
  by continuing, in the tradition of the Innovators' Forum, to
  meet annually to discuss key issues such as: workforce
  development, building educational excellence, career awareness
  and internships, research and development, technology
  incubation and commercialization and access to financing; in
  order to build the knowledge economy of New England and
  Eastern Canada; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the conference directs the group of key knowledge economy stakeholders to report back on this development effort at the 27th annual conference in 2002.

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