Colleges Pilot Free Online Reskilling Program

Nine colleges across the United States are piloting a technology-focused career training initiative that aims to prepare 500,000 learners for jobs of the future by 2030. The Verizon Reskilling Program is being led by workforce and education nonprofit JFF, in collaboration with Generation USA, a nonprofit that provides free career training, placement and support, with funding from Verizon. The effort will target people from underrepresented populations and those who do not have a four-year degree.

The colleges will tap into Generation USA's training curricula to offer free programs in web development, IT support, cloud computing and more — all focused on the skills students need for in-demand technology careers. The programs' track record boasts an 80 percent completion rate and 75 percent employment rate for graduates, according to a news announcement.

JFF will work to scale best practices across the colleges, providing staff coaching, evaluating impact and managing a peer learning network.

Currently, the participating institutions are Dallas College, University of the District of Columbia, College of Southern Nevada, Southwest Tennessee Community College, Miami Dade College, Delgado Community College, South Seattle College, Spartanburg Methodist College and Florida Memorial University. JFF plans to expand the initiative to 15 colleges by 2022.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • a glowing gaming controller, a digital tree structure, and an open book

    Report: Use of Game Engines Expands Beyond Gaming

    Game development technology is increasingly being utilized beyond its traditional gaming roots, according to the recently released annual "State of Game Development" report from development and DevOps solutions provider Perforce Software.

  • abstract representation of equity at the core of AI

    Why Equity Must Be a Core Part of the Conversation About AI

    AI is an immensely powerful tool that can provide customized support for students with diverse learning needs, tailoring educational experiences to meet student’s individual needs more effectively. However, significant disparities in AI access and digital literacy skills prevent many of these same students from fully leveraging its benefits.

  • Man wearing headset working on a computer

    Internet2: Network Routing Security and RPKI Adoption in Research and Education

    We ask James Deaton, vice president of network services, about Internet2's initiatives and leadership efforts to promote routing security and RPKI adoption in research and higher education networks.

  • network of transparent cloud icons, each containing a security symbol like a lock or shield

    Okta, OpenID Foundation Propose New Identity Security Standard

    Okta and the OpenID Foundation have announced the formation of the IPSIE Working Group — with the acronym standing for Interoperability Profiling for Secure Identity in the Enterprise — dedicated to a new identity security standard for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications.