The Finish Line Problem: Unlocking the Largest Untapped Tech Talent Pool

We don’t have a talent shortage—we have a system failure at the finish line. Annually, 13,800 college students in technical pathways leave within months of graduating due to small but insurmountable financial shocks. This session introduces a proven, scalable solution: rapid, flexible “last mile” funding that converts near-completers into workforce-ready talent. Led by practitioners, we’ll break down how this model works across institutions, why it delivers outsized economic returns, and how it can be adopted by employers, funders, and policymakers. Participants will leave with a clear framework to deploy capital more effectively and unlock the largest untapped pool of technical talent.