College of the Canyons is one of 25 community colleges in the nation that was selected by Jobs for the Future to offer a Google Information Technology certification program.
The eight-month program is expected to launch sometime in March and will prepare students with the knowledge they need for entry-level information technology positions, according to school officials. The class will feature information sourced from a Google-developed curriculum that is delivered online through the learning platform Coursera.
“This partnership will enable College of the Canyons to provide world-class training in information technology to veterans, minorities and adult learners,” Jeffrey Forrest, the college’s vice president of economic and workforce development, said in a release.
So far, 50 students — nearly half of whom are veterans — have registered for the course, according to the college.
Renard Thomas, director of the COC Veterans Resource Center, said the certificate program is an incredible opportunity that will allow former service members to prepare for entry-level jobs.
“It is a good starting point while they figure things out,” Thomas said in the release. “Most positions in IT require attention to detail and problem-solving skills that many veterans have developed throughout their military experience.”
Because of this, Thomas believes veterans have the opportunity to thrive in the information technology career path.
After completing the certificate, veterans will also have the opportunity to receive job search assistance, which officials said is an important aspect of the program that will help veterans move forward.
In addition to its focus on veterans, school leaders also announced that the college will create a “Pre-apprenticeship in Cybersecurity” as part of the Google Information Technology certification program.
“This partnership between Google and the college is a perfect example of how employers and education can work together to meet needs of industry while reaching veterans and underserved populations with skills-based training for in-demand careers,” Forrest said in the release. “Jobs For the Future was very impressed with this development and they have given the college their full support.”
For more information about the program or others at the college, contact [email protected].
