CompTIA, the non-profit trade association, announced Tuesday that it is launching a new initiative to bring together industry, academic and government leaders to address the global need for skilled technology workers.

“The council will bring together leaders from the public and private sectors to identify and promote current strategies and develop new ideas to address the need for large numbers of skilled IT workers both in the United States and in other countries,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA.

The council will be comprised of as many as 15 members drawn from CompTIA membership, other IT industry leaders, academic and training communities and government advocates who share a common interest in developing new waves of IT workers. The full roster of council members will be announced later this year.

Officials say one of the council's key messages is that a rewarding, long-term career in IT can be about more than just technical skills.

“Although many individuals and organizations are addressing the workforce issue, these efforts are often narrowly-focused on immediate, short-term needs,” said Thibodeaux. “The council will take the best of these individual efforts and turn them into a broader, more unified strategy that extends beyond a single corporate boardroom or national border.”

“Attracting the best and brightest in all business areas is crucial to the long-run success of the IT industry,” added Elizabeth Hyman, vice president, public advocacy, CompTIA.

The council will focus its initial discussions on the U.S. market, but will extend its activities into other major countries around the world. “While IT is a global business, important geographic differences exist and must be addressed,” said Hyman.