I sat down with Tracy Aiken, the general manager for Galvanize Seattle, in their beautiful campus in Pioneer Square. Aiken has led the Galvanize Team for the past six months.

1) Why did Galvanize want to invest in FullConTech?

Galvanize’s mission is aligned with WTIA. We wanted to support a conference that engages a community of tech companies in learning. This conference is about connecting and getting people around a table to learn from one another. We support building community and  we want to be a voice  in the Washington State tech community.

2) FullConTech 2016’s theme is Talent. Why do your leaders and/or your company care about developing tech talent?

Galvanize’s mission is about providing opportunities  in tech for anyone who has the   aptitude, determination, and drive and may not have the time or money to invest in a traditional education. We bring great people and companies together in one community where they can develop the skills, mindset and network necessary to thrive in a technology-driven world. Our ideal student is anyone who has the courage to change and grow and who may be unemployed, underemployed, and who want to make a career pivot to tech.

3) What are you doing to grow talent in your org? To attract it? To retain it?

In particular, we’re focused on growing  and retaining talent. I care a lot about growing the talented team at Galvanize. We have a learning program that gives each employee the flexibility to level up their skills in the areas that support their career growth. Each employee has the flexibility to attend a conference, take a course or read books based on their learning preferences.  We have a lot of individuals on the team who enjoy learning through reading  books, so we spend a lot of our education funds on books. I have a belief, If you invest in and grow talent well, then you’ll also retain talent.