Connecticut has announced that it has created seven new technology education programs at its public and private colleges and universities to increase the state’s competitiveness of its postsecondary institutions.
Announced by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, the Tech Talent Accelerator initiative will be built using grants established by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), in partnership with the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy and Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Bringing our educators to the same table as our businesses has been a priority of our administration since day one,” Governor Lamont said. “Having businesses articulate what types of skills they need and working with Connecticut’s best educational institutions to create new programs that put people in high-quality careers is how we are building a nation-leading workforce.”
Among the seven grantees for the Tech Talent Accelerator initiative include:
- Quinnipiac University, which plans to launch an advanced cyber badging program for industry partners in healthcare, finance, and technology;
- University of Bridgeport, which will launch a new 12-week course in cyber and information security;
- Mitchell College, which will work to develop an accelerated pathway for cybersecurity skills tailored to the manufacturing and defense sector;
- University of Hartford, which plans to launch an accelerated software development course for mobile apps;
- University of New Haven to develop an embedded game design and simulation development program;
- University of Saint Joseph, which will develop a degree concentration in data analytics tailored to employer needs in the Greater Hartford, Conn. area; and
- Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, which is launching a dedicated community of practice for collaborating with businesses through the Capital Area Tech Partnership and the Southwest Connecticut Tech Partnership.
“Connecticut needs tech workers to grow our 21st century workforce, and forming partnerships between tech employers and postsecondary institutions is a seamless way to ensure we are creating organic talent pipelines that grow our economy,” said Chief Workforce Officer of the State of Connecticut Kelli Vallieres.
