SAN JOSE, Calif. – August 25, 2020.  The Center for Advancing Women in Technology (CAWIT) proudly welcomes the Genentech Foundation as a corporate sponsor of the Technology Pathways Initiative (TPI), a highly productive effort supporting the growth and evolution of a diverse U.S. workforce in the Digital Age.

TPI is helping to meet America’s unmet demand for workers with the knowledge and skills required to fill an estimated 900,000 computing jobs by 2026. Key to this effort is equipping and empowering more women for technology jobs through innovative campus-to-career programs aimed at college students.

Now in its fourth year, TPI is positively impacting the skilled workforce. Faculty from California’s top public universities, supported by tech industry leaders, are rolling out new college degree programs that integrate computing with fields of study such as biology, mathematics, and cognitive science. These fields have high female student enrollment, and they benefit from innovative applications of computing technology.

To further enhance the program, the Genentech Foundation will give $1 million over four years to launch TPI at eight community colleges around the Bay Area.

According to CAWIT Founder and President, Dr. Belle W. Wei, “The Genentech Foundation’s support enables TPI to expand its reach to community colleges and students considering STEM degrees and careers.” Dr. Wei is Carolyn Guidry Chair in Engineering Education and Innovating Learning, and former Dean of the College of Engineering at San José State University.

“This expansion will help address obstacles that make it harder for community college students to pursue these exciting new computing degree programs,” said Kristin Campbell Reed, Senior Director of Corporate and Employee Giving at Genentech and Executive Director of the Genentech Foundation. “We look forward to supporting TPI, which aligns with our focus on creating more equitable educational pathways into fulfilling, sustainable careers in science and medicine.”

TPI Universities

TPI universities include: San Francisco State University, San José State University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Riverside, and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo—six of California’s top public universities and major suppliers of local talent to its workforce. Their faculty are establishing new and self-sustaining interdisciplinary computing degree programs, and making them available to a broader cross-section of students.

Support from the Genentech Foundation will provide funding for California Community Colleges to enhance their degree programs with computing coursework.

TPI Industry Partners

The Genentech Foundation joins an alliance of tech industry partners that underpin the Technology Pathways Initiative. These organizations have been sponsoring TPI universities in their development of new interdisciplinary degree programs since 2016. They include Intel Corporation, KLA Foundation, Salesforce, Xilinx, and now the Genentech Foundation. TPI industry partners also provide support through mentoring, internships, workshops, onsite visits, and other campus-to-career opportunities for college students in TPI degree programs. 

Visit CAWIT online: cawit.org.

Visit Genentech Foundation online: gene.com/good/giving/genentech-foundation

# # #