{"id":4989,"date":"2019-05-15T14:52:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T18:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/?p=4989"},"modified":"2019-05-16T14:41:45","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T18:41:45","slug":"best-buy-teen-tech-centers-help-teens-in-underserved-communities-prepare-for-tech-related-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/best-buy-teen-tech-centers-help-teens-in-underserved-communities-prepare-for-tech-related-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Buy Teen Tech Centers Help Teens in Underserved Communities Prepare for Tech Related Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_column_text]Andrea Wood, head of social impact for Best Buy, will be speaking at SB’19 Detroit<\/a> on \u201cTackling Inequality and <\/strong><\/em>Sparking Opportunity by Helping Traditionally Underserved Communities.\u201d<\/strong><\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]At Best Buy, we aim to positively impact the world, enrich people\u2019s lives through technology and contribute to the common good. In our communities, Best Buy is uniquely positioned to help prepare teens from underserved communities for the tech-reliant jobs of our modern economy.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5097″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]What needs are Best Buy trying to meet?<\/strong>
\nThe U.S. is facing a rapidly-rising shortage of people qualified for tech-reliant jobs. By 2020, 1.4 million jobs (77 percent of all jobs in the country) will require tech skills and only 400,000 people will be trained for them. Young people from underserved communities are especially at risk because they lack the tech, training and mentoring to help them prep for careers.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” color_scheme=”white” css=”.vc_custom_1557946292488{background-color: #94a3b4 !important;}”][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/12″][vc_custom_heading text=”Get News & Updates About SB’19 Detroit” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/12″][vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]How is Best Buy working to meet these needs?<\/strong>
\nBest Buy Teen Tech Centers<\/a> are at the center of our efforts. They are free, interactive learning spaces where teens can explore technology and learn how to use it with the help of other teens and adult mentors. Teens learn skills in areas such as robotics and 3D design, music and film production, and virtual and augmented reality creation, in a supportive, collaborative learning
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n

Our Teen Tech Centers are operated in partnership with local nonprofit organizations and, in many cases, our vendors. With 29 Teen Tech Centers open across the country today, we\u2019re nearly halfway toward our goal of 60 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico by the end of 2020.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5008″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]What led Best Buy to create Best Buy Teen Centers?<\/strong>
\nAs a technology products and services company, Best Buy has a deep understanding of how crucial tech skills are for young people who are preparing to enter the job market. We have a responsibility to marshal our expertise, thousands of employees, local community connections and vast population of tech partners to come together and build a brighter future for young people.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]What kind of success stories have you seen with the centers?<\/strong>
\nThere are so many! In Washington, D.C., one of our teens earned a first-ever photo internship with the Department of Energy, and in Seattle, two of our young people produce a podcast to encourage political engagement. In Oakland, a former student, who now works at our local Best Buy store and serves as a Teen Tech Center mentor, inspired his general manager to observe, \u201cHe\u2019s opened my eyes to different perspectives of Oakland that I would have never known.\u201d In Minneapolis, we have a teen who launched her own cosmetics business using the resources at our Teen Tech Center. You can find these and more stories at www.bestbuy.com\/teentechcenter.[\/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/c6bGWLS50zg” el_width=”80″ align=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]What positive impact has this initiative had on Best Buy itself \u2013 from employee morale to <\/strong>recruiting to brand awareness, and anything in between?<\/strong>
\nOur employees, partners and customers care a lot about this issue \u2014 and they expect us to be part of the solution. Many of our employees are passionate about the Teen Tech Center program, which has a positive impact on recruitment and retention. We\u2019re really fortunate to have a community of nearly 50 partners, including more than 30 vendors, who are helping bring the Teen Tech Centers to life through financial support, technology donations and internship opportunities. And our customers clearly endorse our engagement on relevant social issues like this because helping our nation\u2019s youth matters a lot to them too.<\/p>\n

What are your plans for beyond 2020?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ll focus even more intently on guiding teens toward postsecondary education opportunities and rewarding careers by rolling out scholarship and internship programs. We want our Teen Tech Centers to have a lasting impact on the lives of the youth they serve.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1553271578429{padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #397890 !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”2987″ style=”vc_box_circle_2″ css=”.vc_custom_1557785570197{padding-top: 60px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/6″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

About Andrea<\/h3>\n

Andrea is the Head of Social Impact at Best Buy and the Executive Director of the Best Buy Foundation. She is a seasoned leader with a proven track record in corporate communications, corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, employee engagement, public\/private partnerships and nonprofit management.<\/p>\n

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View the Program<\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_column_text]Andrea Wood, head of social impact for Best Buy, will be speaking at SB’19 Detroit on \u201cTackling Inequality and Sparking Opportunity by Helping Traditionally Underserved Communities.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]At Best Buy, we aim to positively impact the world, enrich people\u2019s lives through technology and contribute to the common good. In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":5073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4989"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4989"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5099,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4989\/revisions\/5099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/events.sustainablebrands.com\/conferences\/sb19det\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}