RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Responding to a growing need for more technology workers in the Triangle, Wake Tech announced today new initiatives – including a partnership with Raleigh-based Red Hat – to prepare more students for high-tech careers.

At an event in RTP, Wake Tech disclosed the landing of a $562,000 grant from the National Science Foundation which will help expand Wake Tech’s Cloud Infrastructure Associate in Applied Science degree program.

Cloud computing is one of the hottest fields in tech, including across the Triangle.

IBM and Red Hat, which IBM owns, are focusing much of their future growth strategy on opportunities in a cloud market the companies estimate at being worth more than $1 trillion over several years.

Plus, Google is opening an engineering hub in Durham and Apple plans a new campus in the Triangle.

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Thousands of tech jobs are already open in the region, as reported by WRAL TechWire in its weekly Jobs Report. The N.C. Technology Association also publishes a monthly reporting showing thousands of unfilled jobs across the area and state.

“The funds will help grow and strengthen industry externships for faculty to upgrade their skills and learn state-of-the-art cloud technologies, increase internships for students, and enhance and validate 15 courses in the program through industry-developed case studies,” Wake Tech says.

To further help crank out more job candidates, Wake Tech and Red Hat are introducing a Certified System Administrator program beginning in August. Students can receive certification in four months.

“The four-month, non-degree course is designed to give students a unique set of skills for entry into an IT career, and to help current IT professionals enhance skills for advancement in the field,” Wake Tech points out.

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