Career Communications Group has named J.T. Childs, Jr., principal of Ted Childs™ LLC, the national chairperson of its Technology Awareness Programs— Black Family Technology Awareness Week, La Familia Technology Week and the Native American Technology Journey.

To address the gap between those with access to technology and those without, Career Communications Group created the three technology awareness programs: Black Family Technology Awareness Week, La Familia Technology Week and the Native American Technology Journey. In addition, CCG established The Foundation for Educational Development, which provides grants to organizations looking to promote technology awareness.

With close to 80 percent of the fastest growing jobs in the United States requiring postsecondary education, and 40 percent of the workforce marching into requirement, too few minority families own computers, too few know how to use them effectively, and still too few have equipment that would allow them to take advantage of programs that offer Internet technology skills that are essential in a global economy.

“These are critical, national issues, “ says Ted Childs, who retired from IBM after a 39-year career, the last 15 as the executive responsible for the company’s Global Workforce Diversity Programs.

“They are important to the development of America's talent pool by recognizing the need for on-going sustained investment in all of our people, and an anchor in the achievement of our nation's marketplace potential,” he says, adding “The blend of their impact on our culture, talent pool and marketplace mean the issues are not a black, Hispanic or Native American Indian issue—they are a national security issue. Without them, America can win on none of its battlefields—social, economic or military. With them included and respected as card-carrying members of “Team America,” we have every reason to feel the passion and energy that ignite hopes and dreams and make people say, "Yes, we can!"

IBM is the original national corporate founding sponsor of all Black Family technology Awareness Week, which has now spread beyond the United States into Brazil, Toronto, Canada and South Africa. The mission of the annual BFTAW is to build a talent pipeline and transform the future.