Santa Monica’s Youth Tech Program ranked 54th on this year’s InformationWeek Elite 100 — a list of the top business technology innovators in the U.S., the City of Santa Monica announced Monday.
The program is also featured in InformationWeek’s article entitled “Twenty Great Ideas to Steal,” encouraging the adoption of successful business models.
InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston said the 2014 InformationWeek Elite 100 highlights companies that are leading this digital business revolution, redefining business models and reshaping industries.
“Just as Amazon.com transformed the retail industry, Netflix changed the face of movie distribution, and Orbitz and others reinvented travel planning, new digital companies, technologies, and business models will shake up a range of other industries, from healthcare to manufacturing to higher education,” Preston said.
Santa Monica was the only local government to obtain an Elite100 ranking, attesting to a level of IT innovation on par with Fortune100 companies.
Jory Wolf, City of Santa Monica’s Chief Information Officer, said the City was very proud of the recognition, but most importantly appreciative of the program’s results.
“We have 21 alumni, all of which are either attending college or planning to attend college after high school,” Wolf said. “Of those enrolled in college, 67 percent have selected Computer Science or IT majors and 100 percent obtained internships.”
The Youth Tech Program is a six-week, hands-on immersion in business and technology whereby local high school students learn and work alongside IT professionals to launch a civic-oriented start-up company.
The City’s partnership with Santa Monica businesses offers unique experiential learning in IT across multiple industries.
For additional details on the Youth Tech Program, visit www.smgov.net/youthtech.
