SAN DIEGO – Mesa College and MiraCosta College have been named Preferred Providers of software talent by Advancing San Diego, a program designed to address talent shortages and remove barriers between small companies and qualified workers. The Preferred Provider designation recognizes Mesa College and MiraCosta College, along with five other local education programs, as effectively preparing individuals for positions in software engineering.
Advancing San Diego is strengthening relationships between local industry and education systems to help the region meet its inclusive growth goals. Better alignment between these systems will mean that institutions can effectively prepare San Diegans for high-demand jobs, and local employers – many of which are small companies – can establish and expand recruitment relationships with locally-serving institutions.
“We applaud Mesa and MiraCosta colleges for equipping its students with the key skills needed to perform in entry-level software engineering positions,”said Kate Gallagher, economic development manager at San Diego Regional EDC – the organization spearheading Advancing San Diego.“We hope that by helping qualified educational programs strengthen their ties to small companies, San Diegans will be set up for success in these critical positions.”
The Preferred Provider designation is based on skills-based criteria informed by 17 San Diego employers with a shared need for software talent. Representing multiple industries and collectively employing more than 50,000 people in San Diego, these companies are projected to hire 7,220 software professionals over the next three years and provide a snapshot of local talent demand.
With grant funds from JPMorgan Chase, Advancing San Diego will place software engineering interns from Preferred Provider programs into local small companies. To alleviate financial burden on both the small companies and the students, Advancing San Diego will pay the interns a competitive hourly wage and offer each student $500 to cover miscellaneous expenses such as transportation, professional dress, and meals.
Underwritten by JPMorgan Chase & Co, Advancing San Diego is led by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation in partnership with San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association, San Diego Workforce Partnership, City of San Diego and United Way of San Diego.
Educational institutions can find more information about the Preferred Provider designation here: https://www.sandiegobusiness.org/about-edc/our-initiatives/advancing-san-diego/
Small
companies and startups across the San Diego region can learn more about
fully-funded internships here:
https://www.sandiegobusiness.org/about-edc/our-initiatives/advancing-sd-internship-programs/
About Career Education in San Diego and Imperial Counties
San Diego and Imperial Counties’ community colleges and continuing education campuses have united to fill the growing regional middle-skill labor gap by promoting Career Education programs to target these well-paying, in-demand jobs. Whether learning new skills, completing short-term free career training, or earning a certificate or an associate degree, Career Education students gain real-world experience that prepares them for in-demand, well-paying jobs. With more than 200 programs to choose from, students learn by exploring, collaborating and doing, with hands-on training taught by instructors and professionals who have worked in their field of study.
The community colleges and continuing education centers in San Diego and Imperial Counties offering students the opportunity to “Learn More. Earn More.” are: Cuyamaca College, Grossmont College, Imperial Valley College, MiraCosta College, Palomar College, San Diego City College, San Diego Continuing Education, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego Miramar College, and Southwestern College. To learn more, visit CareerEd.org
About San Diego Regional EDC
San Diego Regional EDC mobilizes business, government and civic leaders around an inclusive economic development strategy in order to connect data to decision making, maximize regional prosperity, enhance global competitiveness and position San Diego effectively for investment and talent. sandiegobusiness.org
###