Aidmatrix Foundation, with the support of our corporate and social sector partners, has launched a 3-5 year, US$8-12 million initiative to transform the lives of 10,000 youth globally through education, coaching and empowerment. The program provides business & technology skills and resources through Aidmatrix Centers of Excellence (COEs).
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| Secondary School located in Presov, Slovakia |
Working with leading industry and non-profit
partners in Slovakia, the team has produced some amazing results. We have trained students on leading edge technologies and the business skills
needed to be successful in the Slovak corporate environment. Hundreds of
students have become certified in Microsoft technologies, and we are partnering
with government and industry groups to place program participants in their first
technology jobs at world-class employers.
By virtue of a significant donation
of equipment from Brocade Communications, the team is able to give hundreds of
technology students throughout the country the very specific, hands-on
technology experience they need to be successful in the job market. In Slovakia,
there is approximately 60% youth unemployment and at the same time corporations
in the country have thousands of entry level IT job openings. Tomas
Bozik, Director at Aptech Europe, drove over 6,000 kilometers delivering the
equipment and initial training to the programs. “One of our main aims is to
support the educational system in Slovakia and help to prepare IT
specialists. We have never received such a significant gift, and been
able to make such an incredible impact for students all over our country,” said
Bozik.
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| Secondary School in Kysucké Nové Mesto, Slovakia |
I am writing on my return from a trip to the
region where I reviewed program operations, advanced corporate partnerships,
and thanks to funding from AT&T, was able to work with the team to plan our
programming for the next year. Below is a picture of our team meeting
with the American Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic. Our team
are members of the AmCham Slovakia, along with many of our program
partners, including AT&T, CISCO and Accenture. AmCham committed to a
publicity plan for the program, as well as organizing the participation of some
of our top program graduates at an intimate networking event with corporate
CEOs to be held at the US Embassy.
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| Pictured with me above are Pontis Foundation Program Director Pavel Hrica, AmCham Government Affairs Manager Natalia Poliakova, (me) and ApTech Europe Director Tomas Bozik |
Building on a successful launch in Europe the
program now has seed funding and pro bono support from AT&T and Accenture
business units to initiate its North American programming. Dallas serves as our urban pilot site while performing site
research in a rural location. Initial work brings corporate exposure, coaching
and corporate educational assets to approximately 60+ students, during this
abbreviated, 6-month phase.
Work initiated in this region will be leveraged into a
national program during the second year with strategically located COEs
providing national / North American coverage and service to students and high
tech employers.
Stay tuned for some exciting updates, from Dallas very
soon!
We’re looking for volunteers for Dallas and for some Global
Operations planning, so please let me know if you are interested in serving as
an advisor, a guest lecturer, mentor, or if you would like the opportunity to
have a newly minted Aidmatrix graduate working on a short-term internship at
your office, please email me at keith_thode@aidmatrix.org.
By leveraging the potential of the corporate sector we
empower today’s youth to create their future and advance our society.
Keith R. Thode
Chief Operating Officer / Chief Technology Officer
The Aidmatrix Foundation, Inc.
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