HITEC is a strong advocate of STEM education. What are the best ways to get school kids into STEM? How do you take them from there into IT careers?

At the younger levels, we need to show that science and technology are fun.

It’s important to get young students using computers and iPads as learning tools as early as possible. Technology needs to be ingrained as a normal part of everyday life. When students get older, they need to be exposed to the career possibilities that open through STEM education.

It’s also important that they are exposed to real people currently in the workforce. That’s why the work we do at the middle and high school levels is so important.

Which companies in the industry do the most to actively recruit, hire, develop and promote Hispanic professionals? Which do the least?

We aren’t privy to all company data, so it’s difficult to rank one company versus another. But, as evidenced by our board and our membership, there are many companies with rising stars from the Hispanic community.

We need to hold up these companies as examples for the rest of the business world to follow. These companies from across multiple industries understand the importance of, and set the example for, recruiting, cultivating and advancing Hispanic executives.