If you work in technology, you already feel it. Roles stay open longer. Projects slow down waiting on the right skill sets. And while we talk about AI, automation, and digital transformation, we’re missing a more fundamental issue: We are not building a broad enough pipeline of people prepared to work in and shape modern technology.
This isn’t just a hiring challenge, it’s a systems problem.
Every industry today is a technology industry. Ochsner Health continues to innovate care for our communities, Saronic technologies brings remote control ships to our shipyards, Chevron makes new discoveries in the gulf and AI is rapidly becoming embedded in everything.
But here’s the disconnect: While technology is accelerating, access to the skills needed to participate in it is not.
Across Louisiana, the data tells a clear, and urgent, story. Students in low-income communities consistently have less access to STEM education, including fewer advanced courses and limited exposure to technology. Louisiana ranks near the bottom nationally in math and science proficiency, with fewer than one-third of students meeting grade-level expectations. That’s not just an education issue; it’s a future workforce issue.
That gap compounds over time. Students without early access to math, computing and
hands-on problem-solving are far less likely to pursue STEM pathways later. By the time we’re hiring for technical roles, the pipeline has already narrowed — significantly.
When we talk about a shortage of talent in areas like software development, cybersecurity, data science, or robotics we’re really talking about a shortage of opportunity earlier in the system.
And that’s where technology leaders need to pay attention.
Because this isn’t just about education, it’s about infrastructure for the future workforce.
We don’t solve this problem by competing harder for the same limited talent pool. We solve it by expanding the pool, and that starts with exposure.
I’ve spent my career in IT operations and enterprise systems, working on everything from service platforms to automation. But some of the most important work I’ve seen isn’t in a data center or a boardroom, it’s when a student first interacts with technology in a meaningful way.
Not passively. Not watching. But doing so with excitement and mentorship.
Give a student a robot to program, a problem to solve, or a system to explore and something changes. Technology stops being something abstract and becomes something they can understand, control and eventually create.
Without that moment, many students — especially in underserved communities — never see themselves in technology at all.
That’s why efforts like our STEM festival on June 6, in the West 30’s of Covington matter. This isn’t just an event; it is a proof point.
We are bringing hands-on robotics, engineering and interactive technology experiences directly into a community that doesn’t typically have access to them. From underwater robotics in a full-sized pool to live demonstrations and high-energy activities, students don’t just watch technology, they engage with it.
We also connect families with over 20 nonprofits, creating a bridge between curiosity and continued support. Because access to technology doesn’t exist in isolation, it depends on the broader ecosystem around a student.
But here’s the reality: A single event, no matter how impactful, isn’t enough. Exposure creates the spark, but sustained opportunity builds the future.
If we’re serious about closing the STEM gap in Louisiana, we must move beyond one-day experiences and invest in ongoing pathways — robotics teams, mentorship, competitions and consistent access to tools and guidance.
For businesses, especially those investing in digital transformation, this is more than a social good; it’s a strategic imperative.
AI, automation and advanced systems will continue to evolve. But without a broader, more inclusive pipeline of people who understand and can work with these technologies, growth will be constrained — not by ideas, but by capacity.
There are students in communities like the West 30’s who could become developers, engineers, data analysts or system architects. But potential without access doesn’t become capability — it stays unrealized.
The encouraging part is that this is solvable.
We know what works: early exposure, hands-on learning, and sustained engagement through programs like competitive robotics. When students are given the chance to build, compete and collaborate over time, you don’t just see interest, you see transformation.
Technology doesn’t just shape the future. It reflects who is included in building it. Right now, that inclusion is uneven.
Closing that gap means investing not just in moments, but in pathways.
Supporting organizations like NorthShore Robotics helps stand up and sustain competitive robotics teams for underserved youth, turning early exposure into long-term opportunity.
Because the question isn’t whether technology will define the future, it’s who will be prepared to build it — and whether we chose to invest in them early enough.
