On September 29, NOVA convened a tech community forum at the Quinlan Community Center in Cupertino. The focus of this forum was to discuss the Silicon Valley in Transition technology study findings and to promote a dialogue on the implications of these findings on the Silicon Valley’s future workforce and economic development efforts. Nearly 170 community leaders were in attendance who represented a broad cross section of the community including business, education, government, economic development (both public and private sector), and community-based organizations. Dignitaries in attendance included Congressman Mike Honda, Assembly members Nora Campos and Rich Gordon, Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong, Sunnyvale Mayor Melinda Hamilton, and representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, State Senator Joe Simitian, Assembly member Bill Monning, and San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley. The three neighboring workforce board directors from work2future, San Mateo County, and Santa Cruz County, who were partners in this study, also joined the NOVA director, Kris Stadelman, at this event.

The forum began with a warm welcome from Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong and introduction of forum moderator, Kim Walesh, City of San Jose’s economic development director. The study’s researchers, Steve Levy of Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy and Josh Williams of BW Research Partnership, then presented on the study’s findings. A panel discussion followed with panelists Congressman Honda and Assembly members Campos and Gordon kicking off the discussion, followed by a Q&A session facilitated by Ms. Walesh. The lively discussion that ensued was insightful and provocative.

NOVA received press coverage for this event in the September 29 edition of the San Jose Mercury News and coverage from KQED Radio, KTVU Channel 2, Patch and the Chinese language newspaper, Epoch Times.

NOVA would like to thank everyone who attended this event and made it the success that it was. NOVA would like to especially thank Congressman Honda, Assembly members Campos and Gordon, Cupertino Mayor Wong, Sunnyvale Mayor Hamilton, and Ms. Walesh for participating in this event and contributing their leadership and perspective. We would also like to thank the NOVA consortium cities’ staff for their wonderful support of this event.

NOVA has set up a website for the community to weigh in on the study’s findings and what they are seeing with respect to labor market trends. We encourage the cities and chambers to contribute their expertise to the dialogue. NOVA will also be taking the ideas that came out of the tech forum and developing next steps.

NOVA has been invited to present on the technology study at various conferences, local business association meetings and as part of several radio stations’ panel discussions. Organizations are also posting a link to the study on their websites.