The Institute's research on the (mis)alignments between the needs of IT employers and new IT professionals and the skills and content taught in regional IT degree programs provides valuable insights for developing effective and current curricula. These insights may help inform and alter curricula to better prepare graduates for success in the fast-paced IT industry. Additionally, given the Institute's interest in the impact of Broadband technologies and IT education on economic development in rural areas, these insights may help rural employers attract and retain highly skilled IT professionals. To this end, the Institute continues to investigate and provide solutions to these challenges through various research and educational activities, such as:
- Continuing education (workshops and summits) for Broadband and IT awareness and adoption;
- Employer and employee needs assessments (interviews, surveys, and focus groups);
- IT curriculum analysis; and
- Environmental scanning of regional job market (location-based job posting analysis)
For more information about our efforts and findings in this topic area, please visit one of the selected associated project pages below: