Education

14 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2018 MANITOBA INSTITUTE OF TRADES & TECHNOLOGY EXPLORE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AT MITT For the Free Press The future is particularly bright for qualified professionals seeking careers in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector. And the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) is committed to providing quality, relevant education and training to help students shine in this burgeoning global industry. Since 2014, MITT has continued to build on the decades-old reputation of its predecessor, Winnipeg Technical College, as a provider of excellent training for careers in skilled trades, health care, human services and, increasingly, technology. The foundation of its success includes its network of strategic business and education partners, who work directly with MITT to develop industry-oriented curriculum, and its student-focused model of teaching, which ensures students get hands-on learning with the tools and technology they will use in the modern workplace. The school recently introduced a one-year Software Developer diploma program to its suite of ICT-focused programs, which also includes the Network and Computer Technology certificate as well as the Cyber Defence and Cloud Administration diploma. Software Developer is geared toward students looking to quickly develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to qualify for career opportunities as Junior Software Developers in Manitoba's thriving IT sector. Its curriculum includes practical experience in front-end and back-end development, technical writing and communications, project management, mathematics and problem solving to give students the skills they need to become job-ready within 12 months. "Our program is quite intensive because 10 months is a very short time frame and we aim to teach a lot of skills and get our students a lot of practice," says program instructor, Johnathan Niziol. "At the end of the in-class core study program, our soon-to-be-graduates go on internships for two months. Once they graduate, they can apply these fundamentals at any tech job." Most MITT programs provide work integrated learning (work practicums, internships, or co-ops) so students can practise their skills in actual workplaces, while also learning from those already working in the field. The experience also helps students make industry connections of potential value when seeking employment after graduation. "Engaging students with the industry is very important, because it lets industry know about our program and how we may be able to help them fill job vacancies," says Niziol. "Industry not only drives our curriculum content, but it also contributes back to our program by providing such things as speaking engagements and external training opportunities." Educational partnerships further enhance MITT's Software Developer program. The school works with Udacity, an online front-end software development site, through which students can also earn accreditation. MITT also partners with Coder Foundry, a North Carolina-based company recognized as a premier training program for certain types of information technology. "In my experience, those students who are the most successful in the program are those who have a very strong passion for technology and a very strong passion for creativity, because once you have the tools to be able to build, you can build anything you want," says Niziol. "That's where the creativity really starts to shine. Programming is such a creative outlet." Small class sizes and a small campus environment provide all learners with one-on-one interaction with their instructors and easy access to resources and support. Since all course instructors have significant industry experience, they are very much in tune with the knowledge and skills employers look for in the hiring process. Students continue to receive support from MITT throughout their course work, work integrated learning, even post-graduation, when they embark on job searches and career development. "I know what a lot of software development companies are looking for because I have been out there myself, searching for qualified people," says Niziol. "There are a lot of jobs available, with tons of opportunity for advancement or lateral movement in the industry, so our goal is to make this program as relevant as possible because the industry itself is super- dynamic. It's a global market. Everyone is looking for talent." For more information about MITT and its Software Developer diploma program, visit mitt.ca. ❚ Johnathan Niziol, Software Developer Instructor, walks students through guidelines for formatting HTML. MITT photo

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