1.
Deconstructing the Tech Ivory Tower

2.
Joaquin Lippincott
● CEO, Metal Toad an AWS Consulting
Partner
● Los Angeles Area Chamber of
Commerce Board Member
● Bixel Exchange Advisory Council
Chair
● Workforce & Education Committee
Member
● Stand for Children Oregon Advisory
Board Member

3.
Digitally distributed software
is an industry blessed with no
capital costs and no time lost
in transit.

4.
This is an economic engine
unlike anything humanity has
ever seen.

5.
There are no practical limits
to what a tech workforce can
be paid.

6.
In 1979 General Motors generated
$11B (inflation adjusted), with
840,000 workers.

7.
In 1979 General Motors generated
$11B (inflation adjusted), with
840,000 workers.
In 2012, Google earned $14B with
89,000 workers.

8.
In 2019, Google earned $126B with
118,899 workers.

9.
That’s x100 more revenue per
worker.

10.
That’s x100 more revenue per
worker.
...or x100 fewer workers per $

11.
For top level talent with the right
experience, salaries of over a
million dollars per year at
companies like Google are not
unheard of.

12.
Across the board for those who
make it in tech, even average
salary gains over time are
significant:

13.
But there is little-to-no
competition for entry-level
talent in tech

14.
Why not?

15.
In 2009 a slide show
presentation was created
that changed tech forever.

16.
“[it] may well be the
most important
document ever to
come out of the
Valley”
- Facebook COO, Sheryl
Sandberg

17.
19+ Million Views

18.
https://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664

19.
This has set the tone for
the tech industry for the
past decade.

20.
Problem?

21.
A lack of process and demand for
“top performers” has lead to almost
no entry-level opportunities for over
a decade.

22.
But that doesn’t mean NO new
opportunities...

23.
Entry-level salary for top school
Computer Science graduates has
increased from $80K to $140K in
just a few years.

24.
Whereas some of the next tier
students may have seen their
salaries increase from $60k to
$80k

25.
In 2016 median income for
someone with a Computer Science
Degree was $106K.
Median income for all occupations
was $37K.

26.
But in 2015 only 3.14% of all
bachelor graduates were in
Computer Science.

27.
What can we do?

28.
No one wants a doctor with
zero years of experience.

29.
Except for maybe this guy…!

30.
In the same way, no one wants a
programmer with no
experience.

31.
Enter the medical residency
program.

32.
Sir William Osler William Stewart Halsted

33.
What would medicine look like
without a residency program?

34.
Ivory tower
onramp

35.
After 2 to 3 years of
experience, the market will
naturally absorb candidates,
as their value increases.

36.
But we must be bold, creative
and create inroads for those
who interests align with tech.

37.
Government & educational
institutions cannot solve this
on their own.

38.
Employers must come together
to entry level jobs that
integrate their surrounding
communities.

39.
These jobs must be designed to
allow people to learn and be
financial viable.

40.
Profitable = sustainable

41.
Why now?

42.
Nationally unemployment is
over 11% - and tech provides
a (relatively) safe harbor.

43.
In Los Angeles County,
unemployment is over 20%.

44.
Bixel Exchange Advisory
Council:
1. Advocacy
2. Participation
3. Recognition

45.
Now is the time for us to use
our influence to help others!

46.
Thank you

47.
Sources:
● https://www.techrepublic.com/article/developer-pay-heres-how-
salaries-rise-with-experience-across-programming-languages/
● https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/04/14/how-the-salaries-
of-software-engineers-have-evolved-over-the-past-20-years
● http://www.grisanik.com/blog/who-did-better--gm-or-google-/
● https://danwang.co/why-so-few-computer-science-majors/

48.
Let’s stay in touch:
joaquin@metaltoad.com
twitter.com/joaquinlippinco
linkedin.com/in/joaquinlippincott/