Honolulu's up-and-coming tech talents took center stage as the 10th Annual Hawai‘i Annual Code Challenge (HACC) crowned its winners. The event, a collaboration between the State of Hawai‘i Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) and the University of Hawai‘i, aimed to modernize state services and bolster the local tech community. Director and Comptroller Keith Regan of ETS, a division of the Department of Accounting and General Services, stated, “This is a great opportunity for coders to develop their technical and soft skills, and will help strengthen our state’s tech sector and diversify our economy,” as reported by the ETS.
The November 22 assembly at the University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu saw nine teams present their tech solutions to real-world challenges laid out by state agencies and community partners. The categories ranged from AI-driven hiring tools to platforms aiding students in their career pathways, with innovations showcased before judges and a crowd of 120, consisting of families, educators, and community supporters. Prizes totaling $18,000 were up for grabs, doled out over high school, college, and professional divisions. Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke expressed her optimism at the event: "Over the past ten years, the HACC has shown how creativity and technology can directly improve the lives of Hawai‘i’s people" she praised the dedication of those who applied their tech savvy to tangible issues faced by Hawai‘i's residents, as noted by the ETS.
The HACC stands out as more than a competition; it's a talent incubator fostering close ties between state entities and the wider community, boasted State Chief Information Officer (CIO) Christine Sakuda, who emphasized the role of the challenge in nurturing the future of Hawai‘i’s tech industry. CIO Sakuda called the HACC "one of Hawai‘i’s most powerful platforms for growing our innovation ecosystem," framing it as a cornerstone for transformative government service, as per a report by the ETS.
With a lineup boasting 98 participants, 31 of whom were high school students, 32 teams were formed who then submitted 21 distinct projects to address challenges from the Department of Human Resource Development, ETS, and University of Hawaiʻi these challenges ranged from devising AI for screening job applicants to streamlining IT project reviews. Marking a decade of dedication to civic-minded innovation and community engagement, the HACC solidifies its place in expanding Hawai'i's local IT workforce each year it presses on.
