Officials from the Indiana Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (OWBLA) will formally recognize Ivy Tech Valparaiso’s Routing and Switching Certificate program as a certified State Earn and Learn (SEAL) program during a ceremony held on Friday, August 6 at 10:30 am at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso, Ind.
Press and community leaders are welcome to join to hear directly from Ivy Tech Community College Chancellor Aco Sikoski, Ivy Tech Valparaiso Department Chair for the School of Information Technology Ben Marrero and Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship Regional Director Matt Presley.
This ten-month SEAL program provides participants with the necessary skills to work in IT as a network technician, fiber optic technician, or fiber optic cable installer. Through the SEAL program, participants will have the opportunity to work with area employers as they complete the Routing and Switching Certificate from Ivy Tech and earn two industry-valued credentials.
As part of the SEAL Program, Ivy Tech Valparaiso will also provide career coaching and professional development services to prepare students for success in the workplace.
Marrero stated, “The Telecom/Broadband Industry in Northwest Indiana and across the state is in dire need of fiber optic cable installers. When our academic and business communities collaborate to find solutions to real-world economic challenges, the result here is meeting the critical needs of the Broadband Industry. This SEAL program is a great opportunity for Northwest Indiana and for all Hoosiers.”
NITCO, a broadband services and technology company serving Indiana, is one of the first employers participating in this SEAL program. “NITCO is excited to partner with Ivy Tech on this Indiana certified SEAL program. We view this partnership as a win for our business, for Ivy Tech, and for the students that will intern,” said Tom Long, President of NITCO.
“SEAL programs help define outcomes for both participants and employers,” commented Presley. “Congratulations to Ivy Tech Valparaiso on their commitment through this SEAL program to provide students with real-world opportunities and to engage with employers on meeting the needs of a rapidly growing industry in Northwest Indiana and across our state.”
SEALs are Indiana’s state-level apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. They are designed to deliver work-and-learn experience for participants along with the skills and certifications that employer’s value. These programs are geared toward both adult and youth populations.
For more information about the Ivy Tech Routing and Switching SEAL or SEALs in general, visit the OWBLA website at www.INwbl.com or email the Indiana Department of Workforce Development Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship at wbl@dwd.in.gov.
