Michigan's Wayne County Community College District Offers Free Tech Courses, Broadband Access, and Devices in a Pilot Program

  • By Kate Lucariello
  • 04/01/24

Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) in Michigan has received a grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's CMC (Connecting Minority Communities) Pilot program to give students and county residents served by the college free courses, broadband access, and devices to promote digital literacy and inclusion for careers in the tech industry.

Thanks to the nearly $3 million grant, WCCCD will lend more than 200 laptops with included Verizon connectivity on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible students.

WCCCD said the program consists of three components: building broadband capacity; broadband access, and digital inclusion and digital skills training.

Tech training courses are offered both in person and online in a six- to eight-week curriculum and offer skills acquisition and certification. Taught by industry professionals from major tech companies, courses include:

  • Entry-level digital literacy;
  • Google Data Analytics;
  • UX/UI Design;
  • Cyber Security;
  • CompTIA Security+; and
  • Mechatronics with a specialization in Fanuc 01 Certified Robotics Technology.

WCCCD is hosting information sessions for those interested. For more on these sessions or to register for courses, visit this Free Certification Training page.

About the Author

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

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