Disney to Sponsor 2019 PIE Contest at the California Economic Summit

USA - English

• USA - English

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 20, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The California Economic Summit is pleased to welcome The Walt Disney Company as Marquis Sponsor of the 2019 Partnerships for Industry and Education (PIE) contest. The PIE contest identifies and honors a partnership between an employer (public or private) and a California educational institution (K-12, higher education, public and/or private) that is helping California meet its 21st century workforce needs.

"Having an iconic California company like Disney join the California Economic Summit and sponsor the PIE contest is very exciting," said Micah Weinberg, California Forward CEO. "California employers big and small understand that having access to a nimble, trained workforce is critical for not only the future of their companies but also for the restoration of upward mobility that so many Californians deserve."

Disney officials have long understood the importance of this issue for their own employees and are addressing it in many ways, including their Disney Aspire program which helps employees earn a high school diploma, get a college or master's degree, and learn a trade, all paid by the company.

"At Disney we've always believed that education and training are the keys to opportunity, they open doors and create new possibilities," said Jayne Parker, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for The Walt Disney Company. "We're excited to work with California Forward on this innovative program and highlight how the business community and education institutions can come together to help create the future of workforce development and job training."

The California Economic Summit created the Partnerships for Industry and Education Contest (PIE) in 2017 to identify and honor innovative partnerships achieving success for students and communities. The top three partnerships will each earn one complimentary two-day registration to the 2019 California Economic Summit taking place on November 7-8 in Fresno. Each will be offered the opportunity to showcase their work and share promising practices with peers.

Nominations are open until June 30 and can be submitted here.

"The need for a more skilled workforce exists in every one of our 58 counties," said Lenny Mendonca, chief economic and business advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). "The PIE contest is an excellent way to identify public-private partnerships that are working to fill that need. In addition, we believe that some of these partnerships, which serve a regional need have the potential to be scaled up to meet workforce requirements in all corners of the state."

The California Economic Summit—created by California Forward and the California Stewardship Network – gathers leaders from across the state to create a shared economic agenda, one developed by private, public, and civic champions from the state's diverse regions with the goal of expanding prosperity for all.

To learn more about the California Economic Summit, please visit: http://www.caeconomy.org.

ABOUT CA FWD
California Forward (CA Fwd) is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization devoted to championing policies that will result in shared prosperity for all Californians and improving the performance of government at all levels. CA Fwd believes that every region in the state must have a voice to ensure their economic prosperity. In addition, we believe that increased emphasis on accountability and transparency will create a government that Californians deserve and expect.

SOURCE California Forward