The global skills gap is a growing concern for multinational tech employers, but at a recent event in its Irish base, Salesforce showcased initiatives which aim to ensure that skilled young people are coming through the pipeline.
These initiatives include a partnership with worldwide coding community CoderDojo and, more locally, the Tallaght-based Citywise programme for educational support.
Speaking to Siliconrepublic.com, CoderDojo CEO Mary Moloney said that every aspect of the organisation has seen support from Salesforce, which will help plans to grow from, currently, 740 dojos worldwide, to about 1,500 by the end of 2016.
Moloney, who will be speaking next week in Dublin at Inspirefest 2015, went on to explain how support from tech companies such as Salesforce is crucial to the volunteer-led network.
This weekend, CoderDojo celebrates its fourth annual Coolest Projects Awards, when tech wunderkinds from across Europe will descend on Dublin’s RDS to present their technological creations.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD, visited Salesforce’s Irish base in Leopardstown, Dublin to discuss the company’s efforts to drive successful youth employment activities and was treated to a brief demonstration of the CoderDojo kids’ skills.
Kenny, whose Government has been criticised for the number of young people emigrating for work over the last number of hears, spoke at the event about creating a society where every young person has the opportunity to work and support themselves with training.
“The future of civilisation is actually being written in the classrooms,” he said.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD, speaking at Salesforce Ireland. Photo by Luke Maxwell
Mark Stanley, VP of web marketing and marketing operations at Salesforce, explained that 1pc of Salesforce’s product, equity and employees’ time is spent giving back to the community.
As well as support for CoderDojo, a worldwide foundation, this also involves initiatives even closer to home.
West Tallaght-based Citywise has been receiving support from Salesforce for a decade, particularly for its Biz Academy programme, which helps young people aspire to a career in IT.
Through Biz Academy, Salesforce offers workshops to Leaving Certificate students in the area and a chance for one student to win an annual summer internship placement.
Inspirefest 2015 is Silicon Republic’s international event running 18-20 June in Dublin, connecting sci-tech professionals passionate about the future of STEM with fresh perspectives on leadership, innovation and diversity.
