Retraining the Gulf Coast Workforce through IT Pathways Consortium

Responding to the significant economic need and programmatic gaps, the Consortium colleges will implement evidence-based IT career pathway programs leading to industry-valued credentials and degrees, while providing TAA impacted workers and other students with comprehensive supports needed to boost completion. Using the evidence-based I-BEST model, and with the Accelerating Opportunity initiative's technical support, each college will develop and implement pathways that feature a new, core foundational IT curriculum that integrates basic skills instruction with technical training to accelerate academic achievement and credential attainment. The common IT foundational curriculum leads to a marketable entry-level certification and lattices into multiple in-demand IT specialty pathways and certifications in Health Informatics, Cyber Security, and Industrial IT. Students will have access to multiple entry and exit points along their chosen pathway and will receive a number of support services throughout enrollment, including career counseling, advising and case management.