TechHire Joins Local Community College To Create Job Paths In The Technology Field

From Howard Community College: Howard Community College (HCC) and the Howard Tech Council (HTC) are partnering as a new TechHire community to train individuals and create pathways to access jobs in technology fields, including computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, and computer forensics. With this new initiative, Howard County becomes one of 20 new communities announced Thursday at a Washington, D.C. event, and joins a national network of 71 TechHire communities across the country to help overlooked and underrepresented Americans start technology careers.

The collaboration is part of President Barack Obama’s TechHire Initiative, a campaign to expand local tech sectors by building tech talent pipelines in communities across the country. All TechHire communities go through an intensive and competitive application process to demonstrate their commitment and readiness in expanding the technology sector.

“We are excited to embark on the next TechHire community initiative to help get more residents employed in the tech sector,” said Dr. Kate Hetherington, president of HCC. “There are many individuals who are interested in the cyber career field, and this is one more way we can help make them part of this growing industry.”

Howard County’s TechHire initiative will leverage an apprenticeship model, whereby trainees can participate in on-the-job learning with the over 200 regional employers that participate in the Howard Tech Council. By 2020, the Howard County TechHire initiative aims to train and place 800 individuals, with an emphasis on long-term unemployed, minorities, and the military.

“This is a great partnership for Howard County and will help open up tremendous opportunities for our residents,” said County Executive Allan H. Kittleman. “Howard County is a perfect place for a TechHire community due to our proximity to high tech and cybersecurity jobs.”

Maryland is a national center of cybersecurity with over 130,000 information technology jobs – 49 percent above the national average. HCC currently offers degrees, certificates, and professional training in many areas of information technology, including cybersecurity, cyber forensics, computer science, information systems, and more.

Image Courtesy of Howard Community College