It is vital that a college or university attract top students. Offering innovative programs that extend beyond the campus walls is one way universities can appeal to the best and brightest students. Programs in which educators collaborate with businesses--both from a learning aspect and an outreach perspective--can help a university to differentiate from its competitors.
There is a common misconception that there are fewer employment opportunities in the IT field today, which has contributed to the dramatic decline of students enrolling in science and engineering courses. It is paramount that educators raise awareness that there will be an increasing number of opportunities in the IT field in the years ahead.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that demand for IT professionals will grow by nearly 50 percent through 2012, with more than 1.5 million new computer- and IT-related job openings. The same study reports that the United States will only have half that many qualified graduates because of the declining number of students enrolling in math and science courses. The media has focused much attention on the outsourcing of IT jobs to India and China, resulting in guidance counselors dissuading students from pursuing careers in IT. The bad news also has parents concerned about their children's technology career prospects, which also contributes to this pending worker shortage.
With the introduction of the American Competitiveness Initiative earlier this year, President Bush is placing technical education in the limelight and acknowledged how critical it is for the United States to maintain a competitive edge in the world economy. The initiative acknowledges that education is the gateway to opportunity and the foundation of a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. The initiative further states that in order for the United States to maintain its global economic leadership, we must ensure a continuous supply of highly-trained mathematicians, scientists, engineers, technicians, and scientific support staff, as well as a scientifically, technically, and numerically literate population.
Differentiation Is Key
As colleges and universities compete to attract top IT students, they must provide programs and courses that offer prospective students a competitive edge once they enter the business world. Incorporating programs such as the Cisco Networking Academy can help institutions provide students with both the practical skills that will prepare students to hit the ground running in the IT field, plus an understanding of how these mission-critical network operations drive everyday business functions.
Created in 1997, the Cisco Networking Academy is a global training program that provides students with network and IT experience. The academy's program is designed to offer students real-world skills that will position them for employment and career growth.
The Cisco Networking Academy Program also provides opportunities for colleges and universities to collaborate with businesses in activities such as job placement programs. For example, the Cisco Networking Academy has been piloting "Strategic NetWork Recruiting Events," which are enhanced job fairs where Cisco business partners participate with a local Cisco Networking Academy to promote job openings. These events provide an opportunity for Cisco Networking Academy students to interview for open positions with these companies, taking the concept of a job fair to a higher level.
Ergonomics Group Inc. (EGI) is a Cisco VAR (value-added reseller) and full-service technology solution provider that uses a service approach to help organizations solve their most pressing business and IT challenges. Dameian Bossarte, an engineer at EGI, participated in a recent Cisco Network Academy event at Bunker Hill College in Boston to interview candidates from the Cisco Networking Academy. From this event Bossarte has contracted one of these candidates for a four-month position at a customer site and has recommended a number of the students to other engineering organizations that needed quality IT employees; those referrals have led to student employment.
