IT department at MCC partners with Apple to increase diversity and opportunity for students
Mesa Community College and Apple partnered to create a certificate that starts in the fall of 2023 to create steps towards diversity and give community college students opportunities in the information technology industry.
A certificate from the IT department, which takes two semesters to complete, will be offered to create better opportunities for students at the community college level. The program will offer hands-on experience with Apple.
According to the Manager of Computer Operations and College Technology Services at Mesa Community College Alvin Bridges III, “One of the things that is hard about going to school or getting a certification is no one will hire you until you have experience.”
Bridges stated students receive three major benefits because of the program; one, entry and mid level certification that makes students employable; two, an intern level platform by the use of the leading industry tool in daily operations during the program; and three, students will be able to take that experience into the IT industry.
Bridges and the IT Department decided to add this certificate to the IT Department because of the success of JAMF. JAMF is the management tool that manages MAC IOS, and is an industry leading tool that is also a certificate at MCC.
Students that leave the program will have years of work experience and can apply for jobs that use the product, according to Bridges.
Students learn programs such as JAMF and various software in the IT certification. Apple enterprises will be introduced to the program in 2023, according to Bridges.
Bridges stated another goal for the IT Department at MCC is to increase diversity for the program to get students of color into the workforce. “There are four African Americans, two Hispanics, one indigenous member, five women, and one member of East India,” stated Bridges.
The diversity of the IT Department attests to where the IT industry and Apple want to transition into. Apple stated, “We’re continuing to build a culture where everybody belongs. That’s what sparks our innovation. And our progress toward a more inclusive workforce and a better world.”
According to Apple, there has been a 71% increase in the number of black employees in the U.S. There has been a 104% increase in the number of Hispanic/Latinx employees in the U.S.
Apple stated 50% of the workforce in the U.S. is made up of people from underrepresented communities in an effort to increase representation in the industry.
Apple saw an uptick in diversity and inclusion of leadership roles. Apple stated black leadership employees in the U.S. increased by 84%. Hispanic/Latinx leadership employees in the U.S. increased by 90%. Women in leadership roles have increased by 87%.
“One of the things that is extremely difficult, one especially for women of color, is to get into this field because no one will hire them and give them experience,” stated Bridges.
The program gives students of a minority background an opportunity to have the tools so that they cannot be denied into the industry. The two semester certificate program gives students more experience than some counterparts they will meet in the industry, according to Bridges.
“The marginalization of minorities in the industry is being addressed by the program,” stated Bridges.
The program will begin in the fall semester of 2023 and already have people lined up, according to Bridges.
