The strategy is set; a comprehensive plan to meet a growing demand for tech talent in our region and become a nationally-recognized tech talent hub. Achieving our goal – an increase of 4,000 tech workers in five years – is going to require all hands on deck. Fortunately, we have two of the best leading the Tech Talent Initiative’s Guiding Coalition: Liz Mazzotta, senior vice president – human resources, Mutual of Omaha; and Rama Kolli, vice president and CIO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE).
“Having top technical talent is imperative to effectively growing and running our businesses,” Mazzotta says. “As technology workers become more in demand, it is important to keep pace with our competitors in other regions, many having access to larger numbers of technology professionals.”
Kolli adds, “It is so much more urgent now than it was in the past to bring everyone together and talk about technology talent.”
The Chamber, AIM and a collection of over 100 stakeholders coalesced to develop the Strategy for Advancing Tech Talent Growth. The working plan enlists business and education and capitalizes on our existing strengths, including education infrastructure and a growing economy. The implications of success are astounding.
- The addition of 4,000 tech workers could result in an impact of almost $1 billion on the Greater Omaha community.
- If we were able to fill all open tech jobs immediately in the community, it would be a $100 million economic boost for our economy.
“It’s like the chicken versus the egg,” Kolli says. “If you talk to businesses, they say, ‘If you have talent, we’ll come there.’ If you talk to talented people, they say, ‘If you have opportunities, we’ll come there.’ The Guiding Coalition is about harnessing the power of thinking from a community leadership perspective – and then creating as many opportunities as possible.”
Kolli, an AIM board member, sat on one of the tech talent strategy committees last year. When asked to co-chair the Guiding Coalition, he says, “I jumped and said ‘yes’ because I saw a great opportunity for me to contribute to a community that has given so much.”
Mazzotta, who volunteered to help launch the Tech Talent Initiative, became personally involved a few years ago when the Chamber hosted a meeting of HR Execs, CIOs and school superintendents.
“It became apparent very quickly that we had a burning platform in terms of tech talent needs when we went around the room and asked each company how many new hires they would need in the coming year or two. Each company responded with numbers ranging from 50-100 and greater. Tech talent was moving between our companies but the ability to meet talent demands was not being met,” says Mazzotta, a 28-year HR veteran, 18 of those with Mutual.
She continues, “We have to work together to assure technology professionals are attracted to Omaha, our students graduate and stay here, and that non-technology workers can aspire to technology careers.”
Kolli has seen, first-hand, the powerful impact tech can have on one’s quality of life. An emigrant from India (arriving in the U.S. on July 4, 2000), he came to BCBSNE in November of 2001 as a developer on a six-week assignment. Almost 15 years and many promotions later, he is as passionate as ever about technology and the impact it can have on those BCBSNE serves.
“The most important thing for me is to create an environment where people can work with a sense of purpose and belonging and serve our company’s mission, which is to lead in supporting patient-focused care,” he says. “Trying to instill and inspire people to use technology to serve and advance that mission – that is the most rewarding thing.”
He continues, “Healthcare is the last frontier that has not been digitized completely. … That is very intriguing, and I think there are tons of opportunities that are going to open up in the next 20 years. Being part of this Guiding Coalition – helping drive that overall message with educators, businesses and parents – I want them to inspire their kids to look at technology as a career path.”
While the Tech Talent initiative will have a profound region-wide impact, Mazzotta also sees specific benefit to her employer.
“The Tech Talent Initiative is critically important to Mutual of Omaha as technology is the platform that enables almost every aspect of the business. … This means that we need to be dedicated as an organization to continually invest in the development of our tech workforce.”
Kolli adds, “I’m awe struck with the talent we have at our company and elsewhere in Omaha. It’s amazing how much we can do within Omaha. … You have to consider Omaha as a key player and it is going to be a key player in the future. There are tons of great schools here. We have a lot of talent coming in. We need to make sure we keep that talent here.”
From 2004 to 2014, according to Forbes, the number of tech-related jobs in the United States expanded 31 percent, faster than other high-growth sectors like health care and business services.