UNC Charlotte Partners With SkillStorm to Meet Increasing Demand for Tech Talent

  • By Kate Lucariello
  • 04/13/23

With Charlotte, NC, ranked by CompTIA in 2022 as the No. 1 town for information technology and No. 7 in all metropolitan areas in the U.S. for adding new tech jobs, the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte has partnered with tech education company SkillStorm to offer instructor-led, asynchronous courses that train students for tech careers. Courses will be available through UNC's School of Professional Studies.

According to a release, UNC will use SkillStorm's training platform to offer credential and certification courses in AWS Cloud Practitioner, CompTIA Security+, Salesforce Administrator, and more, including foundational courses in core topics.

"UNC Charlotte is dedicated to supporting the growth of the region's tech industry, rooted in our long history of partnering with employers to build bridges between our student community and career opportunities," said Asher Haines, associate provost at UNC Charlotte. "As demand for technology skills continues to grow throughout the region, this partnership is enabling us to provide tech-focused credential and certification programs that equip workers with the skills that North Carolina's individuals and employers need most."

Major companies such as Spectrum, Bank of America, Deloitte, and numerous startup companies in fintech, health care, logistics, and more have set up operations in Charlotte, so tech career opportunities are ample.

SkillStorm COO Joe Mitchell stated, "UNC Charlotte is shaping the future of work by providing a new pipeline of tech talent for employers throughout the region. This partnership is about enabling businesses in Charlotte's fast-growing tech industry to accelerate their recruitment efforts, bringing forward workers with the skills to succeed on day one — and, in turn, driving economic growth in Charlotte and beyond."

Each course is offered several times throughout the summer of 2023, ending in early fall. The first course, AWS Practitioner, starts May 1, with a registration deadline of April 30. View the course catalog to see the schedule.

The UNC Charlotte School of Professional Studies provides courses to learners seeking to upskill and reskill for their careers, and to employers who want to support additional training for their workers, with over 200 flexible programs available to accommodate work schedules. To learn more about what the school offers, visit the Professional Studies page.

SkillStorm brings together employers, universities, and government to train the workforce with skills increasingly in demand for careers in technology through partnership platforms like Pega, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. Through such partnerships, learners can earn industry-recognized credentials and certifications to help expand the pool of trained tech talent. Visit SkillStorm's About page to learn more.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

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