Olympia University of Business and Technology (OUBT), a nonprofit that offers training for individuals interested in transitioning into the technology industry, announced its next training session on .NET programming beginning Saturday, September 16. The program, offered at both its Olympia and Bellevue campuses, is targeted toward people who otherwise might not consider a career in the technology field.
Instructors and mentors at OUBT are current employees of CodeSmart, Inc., which has donated the use of their facilities in Olympia and Bellevue for teaching classes. The nonprofit also receives support from Ramp Group, LLC and People Tech Group.
OUBT’s Bellevue campus was recently visited by Washington state Rep. Vandana Slatter and Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib. During the visit, both lawmakers spent their time interacting with students and instructors.
Rep. Slatter said, “As a legislator representing the Eastside, filling as many as 20,000 open positions in the local tech industry with qualified local workers is a real priority. This requires getting potential employees the skills training they need to be successful….” Slatter also said, “Organizations like OUBT provide a direct and clear path to training, internships and employment in the tech industry, making it possible for women, veterans and people of color to participate in the jobs of today and the future.”
Mark Meyer, president of CodeSmart and founder of OUBT, explained how the program provides an opportunity for students to get their foot in the door: “Once the students matriculate from the class and achieve certification, then they are considered for a 6-month Internship with CodeSmart or one of our customers. Should the candidate perform exceptionally well through internship, we have something well planned for that too,” said Meyer.
“After much market research, our approach provides the three bases any employer looks for in technology-worker candidates,” Meyer continued. “1. Training, 2. Validation of that training (via independent certification), 3. Work experience (gained though our internship program). We have not seen many other programs that offer the same trifecta to students.”
OUBT currently provides IT training programs in Olympia and Bellevue, and plans to expand its services to Tacoma and Seattle later this year. To learn more about OUBT, its programs, and campuses, visit www.oubt.org.
