You’ve probably seen those quirky, techy job postings. They’re the ones that want candidates to be able to code, have UX skills, think creatively, throw a 98-mph fastball, and concoct the world’s most delicious green smoothie.
Okay, we’re exaggerating a bit, but you get the point. “Unicorns” are like the Holy Grail of employees. They have broad skill sets, can think creatively and technically, and have plenty of relevant experience. Unicorns can do it all, and our region’s rapidly growing tech industry is desperately searching for them.
Situated between Silicon Valley and Seattle, the Portland region lacks a major tech research hub of our own. Many small and mid-sized companies, rather than a few titans, create a diverse job market with ample opportunities. However, talent continues to be imported from neighboring regions. Using labor market information and working directly with employers to understand what specific skills are in demand yet lacking from our local talent pool allows us to customize training programs to produce workers with the right mix of skills that employers need.
We are also helping the tech industry reach its diversification goals and have training resources available through ReBoot Northwest and TechRise PDX that are targeted for diverse populations of youth and adult job seekers.
