Appearing on CNBC’s Closing Bell program recently, Genesis10 CEO Harley Lippman addressed the challenges companies have with finding the skilled technology workers they need.
“Companies are grappling with a skills shortage,” he told the show’s moderator, Kelly Evans. “They have to focus on domestic outsourcing and training.”
Speaking to current issues with H-1B visas, Lippman said, “Companies are looking for stability. If people can’t get their visas renewed, they leave for India, for example. That’s a major concern. Companies are looking to do more work in the U.S., and training is part of the solution.”
Lippman also considered the impact of automation on the workforce. “Artificial intelligence is basically programming machines to do things that people normally do,” he said. “The bad news is that AI replaces people with machines. The good news is that AI creates far more jobs, and it creates innovation. It creates opportunities for everyone.”
To the question, "What is the single stroke right now?" Lippman responded, “College training in IT is always going to be really important. Where companies used to have their pick before, now more than ever they are going to have to train people.” He summed up by sharing examples that show the positive results from automation, highlighting how automobiles replaced the horse and buggy and created a number of new jobs – better jobs.
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Harley’s leadership extends beyond business. He serves on the boards of leading business, academic, and policy institutions. His appointments include the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Partnership for Peace Advisory Board, where he helps advance efforts to foster trust and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. He has also served, by presidential appointment and Senate confirmation, on the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad under multiple administrations.
He sits on the boards or advisory councils of Yale University’s School of Management, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, the Brookings Institution, The Washington Institute, the Middle East Forum, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where he serves on the Political Leadership Council and Executive Committee.
Previously, Harley served as public director of the New York Mercantile Exchange and held leadership positions with the American Jewish Congress and the America-Israel Friendship League.
A committed philanthropist, Harley is the sole financial supporter of an orphanage in Cambodia, where he has helped dozens of children access education and opportunity, including funding college tuition for many. He has also led efforts to identify and memorialize unmarked Holocaust mass graves in Eastern Europe, helping preserve the memory of those lost. His documentary, Safeguarding Memory, aired on PBS and received two awards for its impact and storytelling.
Harley continues to combine business leadership with civic responsibility, making lasting contributions to the fields of technology, education, diplomacy, and remembrance.