The Minnesota IT Workforce Collaborative is a voluntary network of people from business, professional associations, education, non-profit and governmental agencies who work together within the auspices of one of three taskforces or on a project team, to increase the capabilities and number of IT professionals working in Minnesota.

The invitation to join the Minnesota IT Workforce Collaborative remains open to all who would like a role in making a difference to Minnesota's economic future. Contact the Center at strategic.it@metrostate.edu.

The Demand Taskforce has been conducting a survey of IT professionals with the goals to establish current and future skill needs as well as relay the importance of certain experience and knowledge in the hiring process. The information gathered through this survey will be used in the effort to better align learner experience and academic training with business needs. 

Other Demand taskforce projects include researching certification programs and aligning those to IT "roles and responsibilities" (job specifications) within Twin Cities-area businesses, researching higher education institutions and the IT programs available, and discerning the number and level of degrees granted yearly from higher education institutions.  The taskforce has set a main goal to become a resource for agencies and individuals when they research a career in the IT field.

The Supply Taskforce is researching the latest available data concerning degrees awarded in IT fields in MnSCU, private, U of M, and for-profit institutions to discern those producing the majority of IT graduates to set a baseline for later effectiveness comparisons.

The Transitional Workers Taskforce has sent a survey to transitional worker counselors with a goal to provide information that will inform their key milestones: To establish and improve communications with the HR and hiring managers on skills needed for the position; help workers in transition obtain skills; help find and fill job openings.

The High School Outreach Project, "Discovering IT," headed by Grant Ecker of General Mills, has been updated to a more universal presentation. A line up of Twin Cities' businesses have committed to engaging with the presentation this fall.