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May 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
CONTACT:
Emma Stokely
Public and Media Relations Manager
531-MCC-2726, office
estokely@mccneb.edu
 
MCC extends new grant-funded Rapid IT Employment Academy to Fremont location
Qualifying individuals eligible to earn industry certifications at no cost in 12 weeks
 
FREMONT, Neb. (May 2, 2022) — Metropolitan Community College’s (MCC) recently launched Rapid IT Employment Academy will be coming to Fremont in July. The industry-recognized program, which began in Omaha in January 2022, will begin offering classes from the MCC Fremont Area Center beginning July 5. The Academy stems from a portion of a $10 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Rapid IT Training and Employment Initiative. The Omaha/Fremont area is one of five sites in the United States awarded the funding, joining the larger metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Dallas, Denver and Philadelphia, highlighting the Silicon Prairie’s vitality to the national tech sector.
 
The initiative is designed to prepare individuals who are unemployed, underemployed or are part of an underrepresented population for a career in information technology to help fill the workforce demands of the region. Tuition is fully funded for individuals who meet grant eligibility requirements, a value amounting to around $4,000 to $6,000, according to Robert Caldwell, MCC Workforce Training manager. They will be trained for in-demand CompTIA A+ Certification or Google IT Professional Certificates, supplemented by paid work-based learning opportunities. 
 
The Rapid IT Employment Academy teaches foundational IT skills, and upon completion of the accelerated, 12-week program, students earn industry-recognized certifications that can open doors to career opportunities in cybersecurity; data backup, recovery and storage; device configuration; networking; operating systems; technical support; and troubleshooting. Students also receive hands-on support, career coaching and access to MCC student resources, such as tutoring, paid internships and job placement assistance.  
 
“Offering the Rapid IT Employment Academy at the MCC Fremont Area Center promotes accessibility of this information technology grant program to Dodge, Washington, Saunders and western Douglas counties,” Caldwell said. “The Fremont Area Center will become one of two MCC locations with a Rapid IT Lab, which is a unique classroom space equipped with dual-monitor, high-speed internet, web cameras and headsets to help enable student success in this technology-focused program.”
 
Caldwell said the program aligns with workforce trends that include strong demand for technology workers from employers as well as job seekers who want the ability to work remotely. According to March 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage of computer support specialists in the Omaha/Fremont area exceeds $53,000, with growth in the computer and IT occupations projected to grow by 13% by 2030.
 
The MCC Rapid IT Employment Academy’s goal is to add more than 350 IT professionals to the area workforce by 2026. The first cohort of graduates will earn their certificates from MCC later this month.    
 
“This is a great opportunity for individuals who have an interest in working with technology or are seeking to change careers into a high-demand, high-wage industry with strong potential for further advancement,” Caldwell said.
 
Applications are open. To begin the application process complete an Interest Inquiry at mccneb.edu/rapiditacademy or email rapidit@mccneb.edu.   
 
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Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable, quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, MCC has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second largest postsecondary institution in the state. MCC serves more than 40,000 unique credit and noncredit students.