ASU’s AZNext Program aims to shore up IT, business workforces with free virtual developmental courses
Arizona State University’s AZNext Program is a public–private partnership designed to address the need for more skilled professionals with an emphasis on the information technology, business/data analytics and advanced manufacturing industries. Stock photo
By Georgann Yara
After he retired from the Marine Corps, John Black decided to tackle the business world. He formed an LLC offering consulting services but quickly realized his business acumen wasn’t as sharp as it could be.
While researching options to hone his abilities, Black came across Arizona State University’s AZNext Program, a public–private partnership designed to address the need for more skilled professionals, with an emphasis on the information technology, business/data analytics and advanced manufacturing industries.
“I’m literally using the skills that we learn in the communication classes, in the financial classes, administrative classes and the information classes with what I do now,” said Black, a software services director for program management at Axon Enterprise Inc., formerly TASER International, which is an AZNext employer partner.
And the fact that the program is largely run by veterans for veterans was the icing on the cake.
Black is among thousands of working adults who have strengthened their professional skills, elevated their performance at their company or attracted new and better employment thanks to free development courses helmed by AZNext’s Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership for Next Generation Jobs program.
Among the diverse group that has completed the AZNext program, about 57% are women, 47% are between the ages of 20–29, 55% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 56% are either employed or underemployed.
The majority of the program’s courses are offered virtually, making them ideal for residents of Chandler, Arizona — known to many as an IT-industry-propelled city — who have a desire to upskill with classes that can fit into their busy schedules. In addition, a number of the courses operate on an open-enrollment format, making it even easier to join when it’s convenient.
AZNext is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and a collaboration between the W. P. Carey School of Business, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, along with employers, workforce development networks, economic development organizations and industry partnerships. About 80% of students come on their own accord, with others attending at their employers’ recommendation, said Raghu Santanam, executive director of AZNext. And if a company has enough interest among its employees, AZNext can build a program on-site based on their specific needs.
Criteria for enrollment includes being at least 17 years old, holding a high school diploma or GED, having Arizona residency or working for an employer with an Arizona connection. An interest in an advanced manufacturing or information systems career, or a desire to upskill or move into a technology role, are other commonalities students share.
Top content areas include: computer-aided design, data mastery, and battery and electric vehicles technologies specialization. AZNext also offers certificate courses in applied business data analytics and Google IT support.
Course topics are determined based on demand and an advisory board composed of 50 industry partners. Currently, in order to meet the need for more IT professionals, AZNext has partnerships with high-profile Bay Area software companies including Salesforce Inc. for the Salesforce Developer Certificate Program and ServiceNow for the ASU Salesforce Developer Academy.
“We look at it in terms of workforce shortage and upscaling needs to determine the curriculum and courses,” Santanam said.
For programs that require in-person attendance, such as the popular Cybersecurity Hands-On Problem Solving course, Santanam says a partnership to host courses at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center is a future possibility.
The city of Chandler has also been involved with AZNext, having participated in the spring job fair, and Mayor Kevin Hartke spoke at AZNext’s advisory board meeting last year. And while Chandler may be best known as a hot spot for the IT industry, AZNext Program Director Rob Buelow, who is a Chandler resident, says the advanced manufacturing side is just as powerful, and many can benefit from the courses that are geared toward anyone seeking job-training skills.
“With Chandler having such a high-tech focus and with all of the manufacturing industries," Buelow said, "our programs would appeal to any resident who’s looking into getting into any of those spaces."
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