Assisting in the Development and Implementation of Pathways Programs: Focus on Technology and Cybersecurity Education

1. ASSISTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF PATHWAYS
PROGRAMS:
FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY &
CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION
By: Professor Alexander O. Akpodiete
(JD, PMP, Sec+)
Presentation at the 28th Annual AFACCT Conference,
at Anne Arundel Community College.
Thursday, January 11, 2018

2. PRESENTER INFORMATION
Alexander O. Akpodiete, JD, PMP, Sec+
Instructional Specialist
Frederick Community College
Continuing Education/Workforce
Development - Business & Technology
200 Monroe Avenue, Frederick MD 21701
aakpodiete@frederick.edu
240.629-7920

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Over the last decade, there has been a
dearth of qualified Americans to fill
vacancies in Information Technology and
Cybersecurity. As a result, employers bring
foreign workers into the U.S. under the H-1B
temporary visa program because There are
no American workers with the technical skill
levels for many jobs. Businesses rely heavily
on temporary visa programs.

4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY -
CONTINUED
• Various programs have been created to help
ameliorate this problem. The American
Promise grant was designed to ameliorate
this problem. Over $111 million in
America’s Promise grants have been given
to 23 regional workforce partnerships in 28
states. It is a four-year job-driven grant
powered by US Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
(DOLETA) that provides tuition-free
education and training that prepares
participants for jobs in industries that
currently utilize the H-1B temporary visa
program to meet industry workforce need.

5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY -
CONTINUED
• Community Colleges are well poised to
handle this issue and furnish the necessary
education and training that is necessary to
provide employment in this industry
because of the following attributes: short-
term, intensive training, employer
focused/tailored because more in tune with
the needs of Community and job market;
programs Include project-based learning,
job preparation, job search and placement
supports with help of employer partners;
smaller classrooms; shorter curriculum and
utilize “growth mindset”; adult focused, and
more willing to use Competency Based
Education – CBE.

6. AGEND
A
What attendees will learn from this session
Introduction
The H1B Dilemma
What is America Promise
Why Community Colleges?
FCC Example
Questions

7. WHAT ATTENDEES WILL GAIN
• Availability of grants for Continuing
Education and Workforce Development in IT.
• How to seek out funding for programs at
their school.
• Curriculum development, including avenues
for collaboration with certification agencies
and training providers.

8. INTRODUCTION
Over the last decade,
there has been a dearth
of qualified Americans to
fill vacancies in
Information Technology
and Cybersecurity.

9. INTRODUCTION – CONT.
Various programs including
the American Promise Grant,
Maryland Tech Connect and
Cyber Pathways Across
Maryland have been created
to help ameliorate this
problem.

10. INTRODUCTION - 3
Community Colleges are well
poised to handle this issue and
furnish the required education
and training needed to provide
employment in this industry.

11. THE HIB DILEMMA
• Employers bring foreign workers into the U.S.
under the H-1B temporary visa program
because There are no American workers with
the technical skill levels for many jobs.
• Businesses rely heavily on temporary visa
programs.

12. WHAT IS AMERICA PROMISE
• Over $111 million in America’s Promise grants
to 23 regional workforce partnerships in 28
states.
• Four-year job-driven grant powered by US
Department of Labor Employment and
Training Administration (DOLETA).
• Provides tuition-free education and training
that prepares participants for jobs in
industries that currently utilize the H-1B
temporary visa program to meet industry
workforce need.

13. CAPITAL REGION
COLLABORATIVE
Objectives are
job placement
for individuals
encountering
barriers and long
term tracking
and support.

14. WHY COMMUNITY COLLEGES?
• Short-term, intensive training,
employer focused/tailored because
more in tune with the needs of
Community and job market.
• Includes project-based learning, job
preparation, job search and
placement supports with help of
employer partners.
• Grant-funded – Tuition, fees, books,
software and exam vouchers are
usually included.

15. WHY COMMUNITY COLLEGES? –
CONT.
• Smaller classrooms.
• Shorter curriculum and utilize
“growth mindset”.
• Adult focused, and more wiling to
use Competency Based Education –
CBE.
• Since 2009, the Obama
administration invested more than
$70 billion dollars in support of
community colleges including over
$66 billion in over 19 million Pell

16. FCC EXAMPLE – TECH
CONNECT
IntroductionIntroduction

17. WHAT IS FCC TECH CONNECT?
An accelerated, intensive IT-focused education
program funded by America’s Promise, a
Department of Labor grant
 Grant period: Jan 2017 – Dec 2020
 Program goal: provide IT project-based learning, job
preparation and tracking and job placement support for
individuals encountering barriers
Four program tracks:
 Network Technician (132 hours)
 IT User Support Specialist (114 hours)
 Health Information Technology & Management Systems
(166 hours)
 Cloud Practitioner – currently in development
Classes are grant-funded, with all expenses covered
(including textbooks and test vouchers)

18. NETWORK ENGINEERING
Training Details
The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) curriculum in this
program is a gateway to entry-level networking jobs and will prepare
you to take the Cisco CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking
Technician) and CCNA Routing and Switching certification exams to
earn the designation CCNA.
Potential career pathways include: network technician, support
engineer, network administrator, network designer, network engineer,
and more.

19. IT USER SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Training Details
Prepare for a career in computer user support by learning how to
install and troubleshoot operating systems, configure software
applications, install and repair hardware, set up networks, and provide
end-user customer support. This program track also prepares you for
CompTIA A+ certification and provides two CompTIA A+ certification
exam vouchers upon program completion to make it easier to certify.
Potential career pathways include: computer support specialist,
computer applications specialist, PC technician, help desk specialist,
software trainer.

20. HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
& MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
HTM Curriculum
Aligned to the Certified Associate in Healthcare
Information and Management Systems (CAHIMS)
certification
Administered by the Healthcare
Information and Management
Systems Society (HIMSS)
Designed for emerging professionals and a
pathway for careers in health IT

21. CLOUD PRACTITIONER
Training Details – under development
This gives the student a general background in cloud computing with
an entry level industry certification that does not expire. This program
track also prepares you for CompTIA Cloud Essentials certification and
provides CompTIA Cloud Essentials certification exam voucher upon
program completion to make it easier to certify.
Students also go through the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner training
and provides them the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively
demonstrate an overall understanding of the AWS Cloud. This is a
pre-requisite to the high in demand AWS Solutions Architect
Associate, which requires some years of experience in Cloud
Computing. This is a new certification that Amazon came up with last
year because of the need for entry level cloud staff. Students also get
a voucher for the exam.
Potential career pathways include: Business Development staff
that sell cloud services, Technical ​Sales Specialist, Business ​Analyst.

22. SCHEDULE/STRUCTURE
• Evenings & Weekends – varies based on track
• Hybrid, Online, and Face-2-Face
• Shorter duration – no more than 100 hours
• Includes hours of workplace readiness training

23. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT
Adults with an inclination and aptitude to excel in
IT and one of the following:
• High School degree/GED
• Veterans of the Armed Services
• Unemployed or Under Employed
• Some College but not Currently Enrolled or
Relevant Work/Life Experience
• Incumbent workers screened for eligibility
Note: Additional assessment/prerequisites apply
based upon training track of interest.

24. WORKPLACE EXCELLENCE
Training Details
Workplace is the Excellence Series?
A flexible curriculum that offers ten modules designed to help people
understand and deliver what employers really want today. Each module
teaches the employer’s perspective, practical skills, and the “bottom line” on a
key topic so participants can increase their company and career success.
30 hours that will help you
“land jobs faster, stay longer,
and succeed sooner”

25. REFERENCES/DEFINITIONS
• https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/
eta20161117
• https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/se
ptemberoctober-2017/the-twelve-most-
innovative-colleges-for-adult-learners/
• https://:doleta.gov/taaccct/

26. QUESTIONS?