BATTLE
CREEK, Mich., May 16, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- The West Michigan African American Tech
Readiness Collaborative, led by Ida
Byrd-Hill, CEO of Automation Workz, will celebrate regional
unification with a Kickoff meeting at 7:30 a.m. on May 24
at 400 W. Michigan Ave. in Battle
Creek. The event will feature a keynote speech by
Allen Walker.
Allen Walker is a senior advisor
in the U.S. National Science Foundation's newly established
Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP). In
this position, Walker focuses on potential partnerships through
engagement with stakeholders across government, academia, industry,
and nonprofits. He also advises directorate leadership on research
and development strategy and policy. He acts as the TIP chief of
staff supporting the assistant director.
Allen Walker will answer the
question "Can the Battle Creek
region become a NSF Innovation Engine?"
The Battle Creek region, known
as Cereal City, is small with a population of
133,819. However, it has industrial might as it is the
home of The Kellogg Company, The Airforce Cyber Unit, Foreign Trade
Zone 43. It sits right in the middle of the Ann Arbor to Chicago Tech Corridor. This
region is quietly leading the Titanium Economy, with companies and
government agencies, like Denso, Duncan
Aviation, 3Eye Technologies, Air National Guard
and Defense Logistics Agency.
"I believe a unified Battle
Creek/ Kalamazoo/Grand
Rapids/ Benton
Harbor/Jackson region could
become a major Industrial Tech Hub - a NSF Innovation Engine,"
states Ida Byrd-Hill, CEO of
Automation Workz, a top 10 ranked U.S. cybersecurity bootcamp,
known for certification training that is leading low-income, women
and people of color to high-paying tech careers.
"This West Michigan region is attracting also sorts of tech
employer investments, like the Ford-CATL Battery plant, LG Energy
Solutions expansion, Ultium Cells battery plant and the Gotion
Semiconductor plant," Byrd-Hill says. "As the CEO of a tech
startup, I see the Michigan
information technology cluster replicating the 22% growth it
experienced over the past 10 years."
"Sadly, the Michigan Information Technology Industry Cluster
Workforce Analysis for 2022 highlights that African Americans
comprised only 7.6% of this workforce, while they make up 14% of
the general population," Byrd-Hill continued. "I launched the West
Michigan African American Tech Readiness Collaborative to ensure
this region continues its tech job growth by ensuring everyone is
involved in reskilling/upskilling for high-paying jobs within the
broader tech markets, including battery/ electric vehicles,
healthcare, manufacturing and semiconductors."
The West Michigan African American Tech Readiness Collaborative
includes these partners:
Alex Andrews, Talent
First
|
Joshua Hilgart,
Kalamazoo Defender
|
Dr. Alisha Davis, Grand
Valley State University
|
Kara Beer, Battle Creek
Chamber of Commerce
|
Alvin Hills, Midwest
Tech Project
|
Dr. Kara Van Dam, Grand
Valley State University
|
Brian DeRoo, Bronson
Healthcare
|
Dr. Keli Christopher,
STEM Greenhouse
|
Pastor Chris McCoy, New
Level Sports Ministries
|
Kellie Hoffman,
Northern Initiatives
|
Danielle Williams,
Amplify GR
|
Dr. Matías Soto,
Andrews University
|
Dr. Dennis Baskins,
Kellogg Community College
|
Dr. Michael Horrigan,
Upjohn Institute
|
Dr. Dennis Bona,
EPIC
|
Michael McCullough,
Calhoun County Broadband Taskforce
|
Erick Stewart,
LAGNIAPPE Community
|
Pastor Monique French,
Washington Heights UMC
|
Frances Hogsten,
Haworth
|
Dr. Nakia S. Baylis,
Village Network of Battle Creek
|
Gregory Moore, CMS
Energy
|
Dr. Preston Hicks,
Goodwill Industries
|
Heather Ignash, Battle
Creek Unlimited
|
Rob Llanes, The Right
Place
|
Heidi Groulx,
Denso
|
Sarah Klerk, Kalamazoo
Promise
|
Jakki Bungart-Bibbs,
Michigan Works Southwest
|
Dr. Sharon
Vriend-Robinette, Corewell Health
|
Joseph Matthews,
Gentex
|
Dr. Tino Smith, Kingdom
Builders
|
Come learn how the West Michigan African American Tech Readiness
Collaborative lays the foundation for the $160 million NSF Regional Innovation Engine.
RSVP for the Kickoff meeting www.autoworkz.org/events.
Join the collaborative here
https://autoworkz.org/corporate/corporate-services/.
Media Contact:
Ida Byrd-Hill
313-483-2126
359113@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Automation Workz