An Interview with Shelley Stern, Central Region Citizenship Lead, Microsoft
Microsoft believes that future economic success will be measured in technological innovation, which is why the software giant has created grassroots level programs to educate youth about the opportunities and possibilities that come with a technology-based career.
“We believe that the economic future depends on innovation,” said Shelley Stern, Central Region Citizenship Lead for Microsoft, who has her main office in Chicago. “We need to innovate better and faster. We see innovation as a collaborative effort for business, government and communities to transform Chicago into something globally recognized.”
Microsoft has taken the initiative in this process by targeting major cities like Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. and Chicago, and installing programs that engage the public in an effort to help bridge the digital divide and stimulate interest in technology-related careers.
“You need to have the fundamental digital literacy capabilities,” she said. “You need to know how to use a P.C. and you need to know how to use the various applications, but you don’t learn Word just to learn Word. You learn Word so you can write your resume and you learn how to search the Internet so you can get it out there and figure out where the job opportunities are.”
To help reach out to local populations here in Chicago, Microsoft is partnering with institutions like the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, the University of Illinois at Champagne, UIC, Northwestern University, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Chicago Urban League, and Chicago Public Schools.
“We care about making the local economies very vibrant places,” said Stern. “The bottom line is that technology is so integral to everybody’s livelihood, everybody’s economic independence, that we believe it’s our responsibility to invest in our communities and to help people realize their potential.
“Microsoft can accomplish this by providing the roadmap with digital literacy programs and sharing intellectual property. These pathways to innovation enable students and schools, and businesses to collaborate, grow and develop new programs, sciences, and entrepreneurial businesses.”
In Chicago, Microsoft has also worked with the Chicagoland Chamber as Founding Sponsor of the Innovate NOW! Summit. This year’s summit was held on October 25. The event is part of Innovation Week, which began on October 21, and brought together innovation experts, business executives, government leaders, and academics to address the importance of innovation and how it will play a key role in accelerating Chicago’s economic future.
“Our goal with the Microsoft Innovation Day is to inspire people to get really excited about the possibilities of technology and innovation,” she said. “We will share emerging technologies with government leaders so they understand how critical innovation is to economic development, as well as how critical it is to individuals to use technology as a means to be economically independent. So it’s good for the individual, and it’s good for business.”
The events also serve as an avenue for businesses to interact with one another and find either unique partnerships or new technologies that can help their own business grow.
“It’s not all about Microsoft,” said Stern. “It’s about our partners and others and how they use technology to develop their own new things for their own businesses. You have to literally get the people together, figure out if there’s chemistry, figure out if there’s a business. You can’t do it by email. You know it’s best done with human to human interactions.”
As the demands of today’s job market become more tech-based, and leading companies must be consistently innovative, it serves the overall economy better if the majority of the workforce is competent with computers. These programs will help introduce career opportunities to those who perhaps never considered the technology sector a viable option.
“The first element of success for us is if we could see some student’s eyes light up and get on fire and walk out of there saying ‘this stuff is cool and I think I’d like to know more about this,’” said Stern. “Like many companies, Microsoft is really looking for brain power and curious minds, and that’s what innovation is all about.”
Microsoft has had a positive experience working in Chicago, because local governmental officials have helped facilitate the corporation’s interaction with the public, said Stern.
“We view Chicago as a location that’s important,” she said. “Innovation and collaboration are the keys to economic growth for all businesses.”