Funded by a $13 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Maine is IT! is building new educational and career pathways in information technology at all seven of Maine's community colleges. The programs funded by the grant are designed to support Maine workers eligible for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, un/underemployed adults, and workforce needs in Maine's growing IT sector. They have been built to serve individuals with a range of experience, from those interested in gaining basic IT skills to IT professionals looking to advance their careers through new industry certifications.
Get a start on your IT degree
More than 160 credit and non-credit courses are being offered this summer and fall ranging from introduction to digital literacy to Linux operating systems and from web development to network security:
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Lloyd Metcalf, a graduate of SMCC's communications and new media program and the founder of Fail Squad Games, was a featured speaker at SMCC's recent TEDx event. Sponsored in part by Maine is IT!, the event focused on inspiring SMCC students and the broader community and encouraging the next generation of civic and professional leaders to take action.
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Saving time and money, students earn college credit for what they already know
With funding from Maine is IT!, Maine's community colleges have strengthened their ability to award college credit for learning gained outside of the classroom. Through the use of a variety of prior learning assessments, the colleges are encouraging students to seek college credits for knowledge gained on the job, during military service, through independent study, or by other means. As the following stories illustrate, credit can be earned in any number of ways, but the results are the same: students are able to save time and money on their way to a college degree. More information about Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is available on the MCCS website.
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How years of Navy experience gave one YCCC student a head start on his college degree
After serving 20 years in the U.S. Navy as a biomedical equipment technician in Iraq, Lithuania, and Armenia, Ken Gray decided it was time to retire. He also decided it was time to earn a college degree and enrolled at YCCC in January of 2015. After reviewing and assessing the knowledge that Ken brought with him from his military service, YCCC was able to award him 15 credits toward his information technology degree. With these credits, and by taking advantage of the college's condensed summer terms, he will graduate with an associate degree (and a 3.8 grade point average) this month, just 18 months after he first enrolled. Ken plans to transfer to USM to complete a bachelor's degree in information technology and then apply his degrees and his healthcare experience in a hospital setting.
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Giving credit where credit is due
David Baizley, a student in CMCC's network security/computer forensics program, got a start on his IT education when he was at Lewiston Regional Technical High School, where he studied for and passed, the CompTIA Network+ certification exam, earning three prior learning credits towards his degree at CMCC. He then participated in CMCC's Microsoft Training Academy boot camp and A+ classes during the summer. These non-credit courses allowed him to pass the A+, MTA security, server administration, and network certification exams, earning another six PLA credits toward his degree. "This was helpful because it allowed me to dive right into higher level classes at CMCC without having to do the prerequisites," said David, who credits the certification programs at CMCC with his current success. "It allows me to stand out from others and demonstrate my proven knowledge." Because of his certifications, David says he was hired by a property management company in South Portland, where he serves the IT needs of 300 users as part of a two-person IT team, while finishing his degree at CMCC. He plans to graduate this month and enroll at USM to earn a bachelor's degree in information management.
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Corey Ramsey is earning credits on the job while enrolled at SMCC
 Seeking a new career direction, Corey Ramsey came to SMCC in 2013, nearly 20 years after graduating high school.
Possessing a knack for electronics, he enrolled in SMCC's computer technology program. A chance meeting with a guest speaker led to a job offer at Workgroup Technology Partners. The position offered him the flexibility to continue his studies while working -- and earn credits for the work he was doing.
His new boss and the chair of the computer technology program worked together to compare the skills he was learning on the job with those he would have acquired in his final computer technology courses. He is earning the final nine credits to graduate thanks to PLA.
He credits SMCC with giving him the skills for a challenging new career.
"I was fortunate to get a job so quickly while I was still in school. It's a testament to the training I received at SMCC."
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Students learn about IT security careers from the pros
Christopher Fox, transfer success coordinator at USM, was one of a number of speakers at the Maine is IT! sponsored "Security in IT" event at CMCC in April. The event was designed to give CMCC's computer technology students and others more information on career and educational opportunities in the growing field of computer security. Also at the event were representatives from several IT security firms who gave tips on what they look for in new IT workers.
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