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Snohomish County has the second largest number of employed tech-based jobs in the state of Washington, behind King County.
Sources: Washington State Employment Security Department, 2014; Community Attributes Inc.; Economic Alliance of Snohomish County
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EvCC Ramps Up to Meet Technology Industry Demands
A recent Information & Communication Technology Economic and Fiscal Impact Study, published by the Washington State Information Technology Association, revealed that "companies and local and state governments anticipate shortfalls of competitive labor in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) due to a variety of factors, including rapid product innovations that require evolving skill sets; a more complex, technical environment; an aging workforce; offshore outsourcing; and newly emerging industries."
This means that the training of entry-level employees, as well as retraining current employees, will be a top a priority within the IT industry.Everett Community College is working to fulfill the high demand for skilled technical labor in several ways.
The Computer Information Technology Department at EvCC revised its curriculum in 2013 integrating industry certifications into traditional for credit classes. Students take certification exams for Microsoft, Comptia, and Cisco credentials during final exam week, earning both college credit and boosting their resumes.
The new Technical Customer Service Representative certificate is an example of curriculum that was developed from industry demand. The certificate teaches technical skills but has a greater focus on teaching how to troubleshoot incoming customer questions, maintaining accurate electronic records, and providing leadership and customer service. The certificate can be earned in less than a year and is a gateway into many companies.
"A student that earns an Associates Degree in IT from Everett also leaves with seven in-demand industry credentials," said Business and Applied Technology Dean Ryan Davis, "IT students now have a pathway to transfer from stackable certificates and 2 year degrees on to 4 year institutions. and can eventually earn a Master's Degree in Information Technology and Administrative Management."
EvCC's Corporate & Continuing Education Center offers a variety of computer and technology programs in Everett and Bothell through a successful partnership with Cascadia College. Programs include C#, Python, CATIA, SharePoint, SQL, networking, and COMPTIA. In response to recent outreach efforts, CCEC is developing a new Software Testing Technician Certificate Program that will be launched in the winter, shortly followed by Helpdesk and Mobile Web programs. Curriculum within the Project Management and Business Intelligence Certificate Programs is also being expanded.
"By continually engaging with our industry partners, we are able to respond directly to requests for bundled and specified training to address the skills gap," said Director of Regional Training, Ray Kubista. "We hear exactly what is lacking and we make sure that we are there to fulfill those needs."
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Funding for Employee Training
Everett Community College is able to provide Job Skills Program (JSP) grant funding, and Customized Training Program (CTP) deferred cost and tax credit options for employers who wish to train their employe es for high demand jobs. Learn more...
Interested? Contact trainingsolutions@everettcc.edu or call 425-267-0162 for more information and how EvCC can make employee training a possibility for your business.
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Employment Solutions Manager
Laura Baker
Laura Baker started this month as the new Employment Solutions Manager for Everett Community College. Her role will include leading the EvCC employment facilitator team, and connecting college faculty and leaders to industry partners to identify opportunities for contract training, internships, scholarships, and jobs.
Laura has a Masters Degree in Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Education with a Business Minor from Kansas State University. For the past year, she was the lead Air WA Employment Navigator connected to through Worksource Snohomish, taking on some of the duties Employment Solutions Manager in the interim period over the past few months.
Laura's previous experience also includes career coaching to veterans and at the high school level, and teaching high school Spanish. She has developed a respected track record of working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented populations, at EvCC.
Laura shares office time between EvCC Corporate & Continuing Education Center (CCEC) and the EvCC Advanced Manufacturing & Training Center (AMTEC). She can be reached at lbaker@everettcc.edu.
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