Youth Economic Opportunities Conference: Gabriele Zedlmayer on HP's innovative approaches to youth development

Insights from the 2012 Youth Economic Opportunities Conference

September 11-13, 2012 | Washington, DC

Just before her keynote address at the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, Gabriele Zedlmayer, VP of Sustainability and Social Innovation at Hewlett-Packard, spoke with Microlinks to discuss HP's innovative work in youth economic development. HP works with communities and partners to solve major societal issues around the world, and attended the Youth Economic Opportunities conference to connect with partners on programs in education and entrepreneurship.

In this interview, Zedlmayer shares two key messages for the youth development community. In order to address these issues, she first explains that we need to work together—government, private sector, and non-profits. Everybody has to step up to provide youth with better access to and delivery of education. The second message is that technology can be a huge enabler, but technology alone is not the solution. Providing several examples, Zedlmayer explains how HP looked at the question of why youth are unemployed, and uncovered that many lacked the skills of the 21st century. HP addresses this through entrepreneurship training, a global curriculum that teaches youth how to use IT for accounting, marketing, and other industries. HP is also working with leading universities to make online education more immersive through practical, real-world models. Watch the full interview to learn more about HP's innovative approach to improving opportunities for youth.

Bio: Gabriele Zedlmayer

Gabriele Zedlmayer drives sustainability and social innovation programs aligned with HP’s business strategy. She leads a global team of experts focused on solving social issues in collaboration with non-profit organizations, governments, customers and partners. Her goal is to create sustainable solutions that address societal challenges in the areas of education, healthcare, and the environment. In addition, Zedlmayer co-leads HP’s Global Citizenship Council and serves as a member of the board of directors of Junior Achievement Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the EU Commission e-skills leadership board, and the board of directors of Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Germany. She is a member of the Executive Diversity Forum for HP in EMEA and of the Women’s Council of HypoVereinsbank UNICREDIT. In 2011 she was honoured by Newsweek and the Daily Beast as one of 150 “women who shake the world.”