Revamped IT program at Colorado Mountain College aids job seekers with solid careers
Starting as a housekeeping supervisor a decade ago, Breckenridge resident Jerry Del Valle worked his way up in the local resort industry with dreams of employment in information technology.Two years ago Del Valle applied for an IT position but was not successful. So he decided to advance his skills through the information technology program at Colorado Mountain College. After his December graduation, where he received an associate of applied science degree, he had multiple job prospects. One job offer came from the same company that did not hire him previously.
“The degree helps a lot in getting hands-on experience,” Del Valle said. “I started looking for a job as soon as I finished my degree. I had four interviews immediately and three job offers. I had the opportunity to choose where I wanted to work and what I wanted to do.”
The 31-year-old now works at a job he enjoys, with better pay, as a personal computer technician for Vail Resorts. He is one of several recently employed graduates of Colorado Mountain College’s information technology program who will take part in a discussion panel during the CMC Tech Symposia, a free event scheduled July 28 at the campus in Breckenridge. The event will be an opportunity to learn about current IT security issues and to explore the field as well as training opportunities at CMC.
Maureen Stepp, an instructional chair at Colorado Mountain College, said college leaders and community advisory board members recently worked together to update the information technology program so that it better meets the needs of employers and students. Students who complete the two-year associate degree are qualified to test for four key professional certificates: A+ computer technician, network+, security+ and server+.
Del Valle said his CMC classes and research projects equipped him to pass the professional exams easily. He hopes to continue on to earn a four-year degree specializing in computer security.
Stepp said U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics indicate continued strong growth in IT careers despite the recession. With the revamped program at the college, she said, “Student enrollment is increasing, and the number of graduates getting jobs is increasing.”
“If there’s any sure bet, it’s that technology will only become more far reaching, and in ways we cannot begin to envision now,” said Stepp, an MBA recipient who joined the college last year after 20 years of experience in software implementation and corporate training. “Hands-on training and an IT degree or certificate are great ways to prepare for a number of different niches within this growing field.”
She said community colleges are important to the IT field, which requires continual updates of skills. Colorado Mountain College’s information technology program offers students the opportunity to earn six different college certificates of occupational proficiency.
Longtime Summit County resident Alice Santman, who also will participate on the panel, saw her work in computer-assisted drawing of architectural plans dwindle during the recession. In spring 2010, she completed a Cisco certified network associate certificate from CMC. When she was laid off from an architectural firm in October, her training helped her find work in information technology. Now she works as an IT consultant for Common Knowledge Technologies, managing client needs in Summit, Eagle and Park counties.
“IT work is definitely recession-proof because there are issues that arise hourly,” Santman said. “We are an interconnected world, so the more you know in technology, which is literally changing every day, the more prepared you will be for an IT job or moving up in your current work.”
The college offers six certificates of occupational proficiency and an Associate of Applied Science degree in information technology at its campuses in Summit County and the Roaring Fork Valley.