In January 2024, SHPE participated in the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This yearly gathering welcomes over 100 governments, all major international organizations, 1,000 Forum Partners, as well as civil society leaders, experts, youth representatives, social entrepreneurs, and news outlets.
The We Are All Human Foundation invited SHPE interim CEO Miguel Alemañy and Chief External Relations Officer Monique Herrera to join the Hispanic Delegation in Davos. The purpose of this delegation was to ensure that Hispanic voices are heard and that Hispanic leaders have a seat at the table when decisions impacting their communities are made.
Although this was SHPE’s second time attending the global gathering, Alemañy and Herrera were not in unfamiliar territory. Many of the organization’s strongest supporters had both representation and influence there. SHPE partners such as IBM, Microsoft, Bank of America, Accenture, Qualcomm, and JP Morgan Chase were key players in discussions that took place throughout the week.
“The access we had to industry decision-makers was remarkable, “ says Hererra. “It was incredibly valuable to be able to have conversations with various corporate leaders in one place. What might usually take months to make happen due to travel and scheduling, we could accomplish in one evening while there.”
The theme of the Forum was “Rebuilding Trust,” and it aimed to address the impact of AI on the global workforce. The event was designed to be a crucial platform for discussing the fundamental principles of trust, such as transparency, consistency, and accountability. The speaker sessions and panels provided valuable insights into the future of STEM employees, emphasizing the role of knowledge workers, the importance of pre-skilling employees, and the significance of middle management. Furthermore, a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was consistently reinforced throughout the Forum.
“We walked away with three truths,” says Alemañy. “STEM careers are still on the rise and will be for the next 20, 30, 50 years. As the 5th largest economy in the world, Hispanics are both an economic powerhouse and workforce goldmine in the coming decades. And SHPE is uniquely positioned to answer the call of this supply and demand with our passionate and resilient members.”
“This experience was helpful on two levels,” Hererra added. “It reinforced that SHPE’s current programs are providing necessary pre-skill training, leadership development, and problem-solving for the next generation of STEM workers. It also helped us lay groundwork for new programs to address the challenges facing an evolving tech-centered world in the future.”
SHPE expresses gratitude towards the partners who made this trip possible, including We Are All Human Foundation, HACE, Latinas in TECH, Martin Cabrera with Cabrera Capital, Dr. Robert Rodriguez, and HACR. SHPE is excited to collaborate with these partners in the upcoming years to enhance the influence and recognition of Hispanics.
