Queensborough Community College is the First CUNY Community College to Offer Cloud Computing Micro- Credential Training
The College leverages the latest technologies to keep pace with innovation
Cloud computing micro-credentials are the most in demand Information Technology skill right now.
Experts agree that expertise in this area is among the crucial elements needed for the successful reopening of businesses—to adapt and be competitive in a new, complex technological environment.
Answering this call for advanced technological skills, a new cloud computing program has been written into an existing $5 million U.S. Department of Labor grant, which was awarded in February 2021 to a consortium of NYC community colleges and CUNY. The DOL grant is tailored to provide technology, health care, and education upskilling programs to people in underemployed industries and communities across New York City, especially those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
The program, led by Queensborough is Co-Designing and Integrated Pathways to Jobs and Education Working with Workforce Development and Employers. The initiative has also been awarded to BMCC, KBCC, LaGuardia, BCC and Hostos.
In collaboration with Amazon Web Services AWS Academy, this initiative will make it possible for Queensborough’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development, (CEWD) to offer a comprehensive cloud training program available to CUNY staff, faculty, and matriculating Queensborough students through the Information and Internet Technology A.A.S. Major. The program is also available to the community at large.
“Within the cloud computing program at CUNY, we are the first to offer cloud computing micro credential,” said Hui-Yin Hsu, Ph.D., Dean Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) at Queensborough, and Principal Investigator of the DOL grant. “Currently we are working with Education Design Lab’s Community College Growth Engine Fund (EDL) which is a perfect match since their mission states that ‘Micro-credentials are the learning/earning experience and the badge is the technology used to display it’. This partnership has the potential to put us on the regional and national map.”
“I am very excited about the powerful work underway at QCC as they artfully integrate multiple partners and funding sources to serve a large and growing community of learners while helping to meet critical labor market demands,” said Sara Lundquist, Ph.D., the Education Design Lab’s dedicated partner to CUNY.
“In fact,” Dean Hsu added, “Because of our exclusive partnership with Education Design Lab, other schools look to us for best practices.”
“AWS is a global leader in Cloud computing and students looking for an exciting major involving cloud computing can consider majoring in the Internet and Information Technology A.A.S Major at Queensborough,” said Michael Lawrence, Computer Technology Specialist and Lecturer at Queensborough. “We are helping students gain the skills to drive cloud adoption and innovation throughout the industry by offering courses on both foundational and advanced cloud computing concepts.”
Courses teach foundational cloud computing as well as advanced topics such as IT Automation, Serverless Computing, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics.
“Simply put, this program and certification offer stepping stones for students to finish their IT degree at Queensborough and either continue their IT education at a senior college, or directly enter one of the most in-demand careers in today’s marketplace,” said Lawrence.
Those in demand skills include: Artificial Intelligence Specialist, Computer & Information Science (CIS), Computer Systems Analyst, Machine Learning, and Software Engineering.
Daniel Sanders, currently Systems Administrator at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said this of his AWS Cloud course at Queensborough, “I'm glad I had the opportunity to take this course. I watched a lot of former colleagues' jobs disappear during the pandemic as companies eliminated physical infrastructure and the staff to support them. I am grateful to Queensborough for helping me take steps towards staying relevant.”
Just in the last year, Queensborough has trained over 500 students in cloud computing and this August will offer a four-month, self-paced cloud computing micro credential course. Three hundred students have already registered for the course. Below are links for more information and to register.
https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/8fXjsLmthg9Dd2pcB1qTUgDz
https://www.campusce.net/qcc/course/course.aspx?catId=6
CEWD also works closely with NYC Workforce Development Board and NYC Mayor’s Office Economic Development Advisor to help support NYC’s Recovery for All of Us City Cleanup Corps.
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