This fall, the Futures Fund hired a full-time Program Director to take the program to the next level! Dominique Dallas is not only uniquely qualified but an extremely talented and progressive leader. Let's meet Dominque!
What drew you to the Futures Fund program?
I see the FF program as an opportunity to make an instrumental contribution to the lives of students in the communities we serve. This is an exciting time to be in workforce development– helping people upskill, refining digital literacy, developing leadership skills, and reimagining the work day is paramount to adequately ensure career readiness for students and community members. I am a forever teacher; so, to continue to work in an education-adjacent tech space is a privilege.
What do you envision for the program long term? Short term?
I envision the FF Coding Boot Camp and Tech Academy serving as the premiere tech hub for community members to jumpstart their careers in tech or simply pique their tech interests. Workshops are a definite must-have to intentionally target the development of hard and soft skills professionally and personally. I hope trainees see the FF as an outlet to explore creative, non-traditional careers as well as feel equipped to enter the workforce well-equipped to be successful professionals and global citizens.
Tell us about the skillsets you bring to make this program a success.
I have worked in retail development, marketing, and education. Specifically, in education, I have taught math, Spanish, and JavaScript. Furthermore, having an MBA and MPA strengthens my understanding of systems at the intersection of the private and public sectors. My educational background, work experience, and technical background have perfectly aligned with this opportunity. As a black woman in tech, I am excited to bring strategy and development skills for the purpose of the advancement of the program.
Do you have any insights on tech training access as this area of the workforce continues to grow?
What an exciting time to prioritize tech training and certification as the workforce continues to shift! Organizations must be strategic about how to use tech to prepare professionals to increase org efficiency, create opportunities to upskill and reskill and improve levels of productivity. As well, with trends in machine learning, automation, and cybersecurity, even within industries such as climatech, fintech, meditech, and agritech, partnering with educational institutions is essential to the newer generations entering the workforce.
Thank you Dominque and welcome to the Futures Fund! To meet Dominique, join either of our Futures Fund programs!
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