While TANDO has a global outreach, we are based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our focus here is on contributing and guiding the social and economic progress based on Albuquerque’s emerging economic trends. As experienced mentors, we help open new avenues for thinking about local problems and solutions, evaluating promising technologies, building alternative entrepreneurial paths and assessing innovative market opportunities. Some of the areas we are focused on include: 12 Month Strategic AI – Global Climate Leadership Certificate (scholarships are being offered to Albuquerque candidates), training in Gaiapolis-building, producing informative vaccine video, World Scientific book series, etc.
TANDO is proposing New Mexico Regional Workforce Corridor Initiative (NMRWCI) which aims to create a dynamic collaboration among top university and community college leaders, community and cultural leaders, leading researchers, industry executives, science lab directors, entrepreneurs, community partners and graduates across the region. This initiative will identify and strengthen a workforce talent corridor spanning multiple counties (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia) bringing together diverse communities and developing innovative economic pathways. By integrating academic innovation, community voices, industry needs, and resident engagement, we will establish a sustainable talent pipeline that fosters economic growth and equitable opportunities.
BACKGROUND:
The Global Fellows of the TANDO Institute amassed the knowledge base, and for decades conducted training, on technopolis – metro-area knowledge-intensive and high-tech economies. The nerve center for Austin’s transformation was the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas established in 1977. The Global Fellows of the IC2 Institute authored or edited nearly all the early documentation and theory of the technopolis. Austin’s demonstrated success established the IC2 Institute as the premier authority on technopolis. The Global Fellows separated from the University of Texas. In 2020, 80 of the Fellows incorporated as the independent non-profit TANDO. Thirty-plus years and a changing world have uncovered the technopolis concept’s gaps and tatters. The Global Fellows now put forth a next- generation design for 21st-century cities. Gaiapolis supports environmental innovation, human fulfillment, and a quality life for everyone.
HOW WILL WE GET THIS DONE:
To achieve the NMRWCI, we will map university and federal lab centers of research excellence; the university and junior college curricula across the state that prepare grads for some of these jobs; offer training for under-resourced populations of the Albuquerque region. Face to face meetings among the constituency leaders will kick-off the planning stages and solidify and sustain new collaborations.
The NM Regional Workforce Corridor Initiative (RWCI) presents a unique opportunity to drive inclusive economic growth by fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and diverse communities, to create quality jobs that offer competitive wages and stability. We are seeking grants from organizations around the state which will help to scale this initiative, ensuring that the workforce and further industry development remains equitable, sustainable, innovative, and responsive to the needs of our evolving economy throughout the region.
