COLUMBIA (WACH) -- The Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management turned 22,000 square feet of office space into a high-tech hub.
It has attracted more than 50 companies and 20 universities to help encourage students to choose careers in information technology.
During the next decade, there will be 900,000 new IT jobs across the U.S.
But currently there is only 400,000 students taking classes to become future IT professionals.
According to director Lonnie Emard, IT-oLogy hopes to the change that figure.
IT-oLogy’s initiative is to encourage young people to learn the skills needed for careers in information technology.
“It is something young people can identify with. It is something academics can say that is the study of IT, and for the most part, our business partners can say we believe in IT-oLogy.”
“We need to develop a good pipeline of talent to support what we think is a growing industry and this is an answer to that,” adds IT consultant Terry Floyd.
The facility includes computer labs, an IBM system Z mainframe and space for learning video game and software development.
The community will be able to take advantage of IT-oLogy. It is open to students of all-ages and businesses for programs relating to IT learning.
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