To address the shortage of qualified IT professionals, Bellevue College’s Tombolo Institute will launch a new IT apprenticeship training program in the spring of 2022. The program will allow students to gain knowledge and technical skills in the latest emerging technologies, with the initial focus of the program being on cybersecurity and IT system administration.

“As many organizations now have internal IT staff and in-house developers, these businesses are essentially tech companies,” said Ray Chew, technology education program director at Tombolo Institute. “Employers in every industry are struggling to find well-qualified IT talent with the right combination of technical and behavioral skills. Our new competency-based IT apprentice program will provide employers early access to a pipeline of well-trained job candidates.”

Components of the institute’s upcoming IT apprenticeship include technical curriculum, on the job training, career development support services, and optional industry certification.

The program will involve close collaboration with technology employers across Washington, according to the Tombolo Institute. Employers can join the IT apprentice program and will be matched to their local workforce based on a pre-defined program that leverages IT industry curriculum, job training with employer participants, and career development skills for students.

“We have designed our new IT apprentice program in close collaboration with regional employers,” said Chew. “Those partnerships provide us with a deep understanding of the performance standards they require from their workers. Because of this, our IT apprentice program will provide our students with the technical knowledge and job skills required to fulfill the work requirements for open job positions that are hard to fill.”

According to Joe Belcher, who works in marketing at Bellevue College, the IT apprentice program is currently open, and the program lasts one year.

Employers who are interested in collaborating with the upcoming apprentice program can click here to fill out an online form. Those interested in attending the program can click here to schedule an appointment to discuss the program.