Need a job? Grant funding new high-demand IT training in Flint

FLINT, Michigan—Need a job? Good with computers? You could be one of 15 people to get training to become a professional techie.

“This is an opportunity for job candidates to get in at the ground level of an exciting profession that is expanding with the promise of a rewarding career,” said Cynthia Richardson, director of talent attraction and resources for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
 

Deadline to apply is May 5, 2017. Registration is available through Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan at (810) 762-9960.

Graduates of the program will be ready for entry-level information technology jobs, such as providing help desk services—which are “immediately accessible” to qualified candidates, Richardson said. The program will provide training, certifications, job searches assistance, and career counseling, according to a press release from the MEDC—all at no cost or low cost to students.

The program is being brought to Flint through a partnership between the MEDC and Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan to expand “IT in the D” beyond the Detroit area—and eventually to all of Michigan.

There are lots of advancement opportunities in the field—including programming, cyber security and software development—once the training helps you get your foot in the door, according to the MEDC. The Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives predicts employment in IT will increase more than 15 percent by 2024. 

“The sky is the limit when it comes to a career in information technology,”  said Bob Waltenspiel, cofounder of “IT in the D,” a nonprofit networking group established in 2001 for IT professionals with 5,000 members.

The Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce also is a local partner in the program, which also will promote the community to prospective IT employers.

It typically would cost upwards of $400 per class and $5,000 for certification. Those in the program will earn up to 30 college credits in the training program. 

“The opportunity to assist people with their path to self-sufficiency is one that Goodwill is excited by and one that will benefit the community as a whole,” says Tami Bauchan, Director of Workforce Development at Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan. 

Deadline to apply is May 5, 2017. Registration is available through Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan by calling (810) 762-9960.