ExperienceIT Class To Train Next Generation Of IT Professionals In Detroit

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - Aspiring IT professionals can learn the hard and soft skills needed for a job in the information technology industry in the upcoming to ExperienceIT class.

The 10-week, free program takes students from the classroom to the workplace through classes, real world IT projects, mentorship and training in technologies such as Java, .Net and QA.

Students also will receive training in soft-skills such as interpersonal communication, working in teams and job interviews in the classes.

"It is an evolution of an experiential learning program that was created by a number of the IT industry leaders located downtown," said Ryan Hoyle, vice president of business development and talent for GalaxE Solutions.

The next class launches on July 6, and run eight hours a day, five days a week at Grand Circus in Detroit.

ExperienceIT's inaugural program graduated 43 individuals with 36 eventually accepting full-time positions with partner companies including Quicken Loans, GalaxE.Solutions, Title Source, Fathead, Marketing Associates, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and DTE.

"The jobs that these graduates are filling are jobs that are real, and they are posted on our websites today, and we are struggling to fill them," Hoyle added. "These are not positions that we are creating to prop up a program."

The WIN (Workforce Intelligence Network) and DESC (Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation) are workforce agencies that are also partners in the ExperienceIT initiative.

Interested applicants have until June 10 to apply now at http://www.experienceitdetroit.com.

This report was updated at 2:18 p.m. Friday.