Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) today announced a partnership with the tech talent accelerator SkillStorm that will provide working learners and military veterans with access to certification courses in high-demand enterprise technologies, including Salesforce and Pega. As an institution committed to serving non-traditional students (including those who are balancing work and family commitments in addition to their studies), IWU is spearheading this initiative to expand its support for those who can benefit most from employment opportunities in tech.
“IWU leadership and staff remain committed to our long history of catering to non-traditional students with programs designed and tailored to help them reach their goals,” said Chancellor Dr. Eileen Hulme. “As the labor market continues to evolve, our partnership with SkillStorm will help us provide learners with comprehensive and job-aligned training in the most in-demand skills to prepare them for careers in tomorrow’s world of work.”
IWU is launching this initiative as part of its Talent Ladder, an innovative unit providing training programs for working professionals and veterans focused on the region’s fastest-growing skills and occupations, all with the potential of university credit toward degree completion for those who successfully complete a training program. To honor its commitment to supporting the military community, IWU offers unique, flexible programs and extends preferred tuition to active duty, National Guard, reserves, retirees and veterans and their family members.
“We are excited to open up new pathways of opportunity for our learners to advance their skills and enter the workforce with the confidence — and capability — to thrive and move up the career ladder,” said Andy Miller, vice president of innovation & partnerships at IWU. “SkillStorm’s unique approach combines high-quality training with leading-edge technology to help students from all backgrounds pursue the certifications that will enable them to find fulfilling employment.”
The partnership consists of two tracks, the Accelerator Program and the Emerging Tech Program. SkillStorm’s Accelerator Program provides online, asynchronous, and instructor-led training courses to help students gain certification in Salesforce and Pega technologies. The Emerging Tech Program hires, trains and certifies entry-level tech talent over the course of 10-12 weeks before deploying them at Fortune 500 companies and federal contractors.
“Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and ongoing digital transformation in the workplace, adult learners are demanding the skills to advance and keep up with an evolving labor market,” said Joe Mitchell, COO at SkillStorm. “This is about helping more people access the resources that will help them chart new pathways into tech, while at the same time increasing the talent pool for tech employers facing a persistent skill shortage.”
The certifications provided through these partnership tracks are designed for students and professionals at any stage of their educational or career journey. Many certification courses offer students the flexibility to attend when convenient, while providing access to one-on-one mentoring and training from industry-certified instructors.
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About SkillStorm
SkillStorm is bringing together Fortune 500 employers, universities, and government agencies to build tomorrow’s highly skilled tech workforce. Through partnerships with platforms like Salesforce, Pega, AWS and ServiceNow, we help working learners and aspiring tech experts build in-demand skills and earn industry-recognized certifications to compete in an increasingly dynamic economy. Our work is rooted in the belief that closing skill gaps and boosting economic mobility are two sides of the same coin, and that new approaches to training can help to both expand the pool of skilled tech talent and create new pathways to opportunity. Visit www.SkillStorm.com to learn more.
About Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is a comprehensive Christian university of The Wesleyan Church and is committed to global liberal arts and professional education. The university system includes IWU-Marion, where about 3,000 students are enrolled in traditional programs on the residential campus in Marion, Ind.; IWU-National & Global, which includes nearly 7,000 adult learners around the world who study online or onsite at 11 education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio; and Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, which offers a practical and student-centered approach for busy, working ministers. More information is available at www.indwes.edu.