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About
Organization:
The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, established in 1988 by California state legislation. It is designed to offer expert advice and recommendations to the state government on science and technology-related policy issues. CCST is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of representatives from the academic, corporate, and philanthropic communities. This Board is assisted by a larger Council of Corporate CEOs, academicians, scientists, and scholars, and by the CCST Fellows, a 114-member group of highly distinguished academics who offer advice in their diverse areas of expertise. CCST is a partner on four WIRED projects, listed below. Tasks:
Project 1.1 - Economic Development Innovation Toolkit:
- With other partners, develop an economic development toolkit in the first 18 months of the project, incorporating effective economic development roadmaps, integrating resources and innovative tools to reach the targeted entrepreneurial audience.
- Complete annual benchmarking report and index, in order to determine how each of three venture communities has grown its innovation sector network.
Project 1.2 - 21st Century Workforce Profiles:
- This effort was important in identifying the workforce skills that will be sought by high-tech companies in the California WIRED regions. By assessing workforce shortages in the selected regions, data and recommendations could be provided to enable educators and workforce skill training providers to better meet the needs for existing technical careers and those that will be emerging in new technologies and sectors, as they develop.
Project 1.7 - WIB Resource Toolkit:
- A WIB toolkit was developed to provide WIBs ready access to data and skills that will assist them in the identification of technology companies and that would identify the skills and resources needed to support them under the auspices of the WIBs charter. WIBs have made meaningful movement over the past several years, adopting a more open attitude toward the types of companies they are willing to assist and the types of services they need to acquire to do so. This toolkit is part of a larger and more important trend in the way that the government support sector is looking at the impact of the assistance they provide and what types of companies will produce the largest return for the effort expended. Additionally, with limited and retracting budgets, what job placement will result in the largest community and regional impact with the least effort and capital utilized. WIBs have begun to transition from a service sector focus to a broader focus that possibly includes higher level manufacturing and technology. This toolkit is important in that it will assist those WIBs who have not begun to transition to a higher level to acquire the knowledge and terminology needed to begin the process. It also provides those who have begun the initial foray into higher-level-assistance to acquire the new knowledge and resources required to make their support and services more focused and effective.
Project 3.5 - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Collaborative Action Plan (STEMCAP):
- With its partners, integrate the current and future industry enterprise needs into workforce and educational planning and policy-making.
- Optimize the Corridor for innovation and 21st Century competitiveness by contributing to the Steering Committee, the Forums, and the STEM Action Plan.
Opportunities for Collaboration |
