Comments  (11)

• Anthony on Monday, March 11, 2013

  I am very upset with the fact that so much money and legislation is going toward new immigrants, American trained foreign human capital. You can't foreigners here if they do not want to or cannot commit to making America their home. There will be much more spent on accommodating them, deporting them, or preventing them from wanting to go back home. And while I can appreciate the less-than-noble idea to address "America's brain drainage", supporting hard working Americans get back to work, upgrade their skills, and develop frameworks or legislation that encourages companies to be a part of making sure their employees remain viable would be a much better and nobler cause. I have worked in the IT industry for 12 years. I hold bachelor and master degree degrees in IT, CompTIA A+ and Network+, and MCP certifications. I have been unemployed since August 2009 and I am finding it extremely hard re-entering the job market. In my opinion, more than the weak economic signs, a larger shrinkage or shortage of IT jobs can be directly attributed to cloud computing. Cloud computing isn't new but, by virtue of its blanketed name has allowed non-tech savvy executives to forget about costly premise over-runs and seek out utility hosted computing services leaving them with a front-end form of a unified communication system for communication so that they can focus on their businesses and budgets. Consequently, the computing model has been simplified to VARs, ASPs, Telcos, ISPs, Channel Partners, and Consumers. This caused a significant shift in demand and hard tech skills to soft "programming" skills - skills a majority of American colleges do not well equip its students with. American colleges, for the better part, provide students foundation skills in programming. The students graduate and find OJT if they're fortunate, and pursue a career path sometimes in a good long-term evolutionary field - other times in a dying field. Most graduates who have entered the job market will be able to upgrade their skills through OJT, and trade schools. The beauty of small trade schools or boot-camps is that they can switch up their curriculum on demand. Colleges are not so lucky as they are plagued with larger budgetary, staff retraining and retention policies, equipment, regulatory, curriculum design issues and approval considerations, degree completion requirements vs. length of time to grade etc. Due to the regulatory environment in which we do business, the American IT worker will always take the fall and be short-changed! With poor employer support for educating its workers, lack of government funding to cross/retrain/upgrade or refresh worker education, now allocating most of the government's funding to immigrants small wonder the cycle never breaks. When the new immigrant now needs retraining, will we put him on the sidelines too and sponsor a new immigrant, laugh! I believe more dollars need to be allocated to the millions of broken hearted American workers trying to stand up again. Time to wake up and make sensible legislative decisions, America!

• Michael on Monday, March 11, 2013

  I think that you should invest the grant money for people like me, who are hard working, unemployed, and American. I am A+ Certified through you CompTIA, I have worked hard to gain my Associates in Computer Engineering Technology and I would rather see this money spent in aim for people like me who work hard, and need jobs. I have two certifications, an associates degree from one of the top 120 community colleges in the country and I am unable to begin working in the field for which I have trained very hard for, and spent a lot of money on, while working all at the same time. I wish you would keep money inside the U.S. and set me up with some OJT to get my foot in the door to land a job on a permanent basis.

• JEANNIE on Monday, March 11, 2013

  Well whats really going on with all you unemployed college educated computer professionals? I understand being unemployed for a couple months by not a 3 years and you have degree. Sounds like to me you really dont want to work..Best Buy hires computer geeks everyday..

• IT Wannabe on Monday, March 11, 2013

  If this grant was available for American citizens I would already be on my way to a rewarding career in a field that I truly love, but sadly I was born here so I get left behind. I will continue to search for a job training grant, otherwise I'm going to start an unpaid internship. if anyone has any leads on IT job training grants let me know on tumblr.

• knita moore on Monday, March 11, 2013

  thank you

• Mahtab Haider on Monday, March 11, 2013

  I really have a Degree in Computer Science and I have Comptia A+ Network + and MCP . I thought to go farther in IT to get my MCITP done. Now I think I just waisted my money to get all these certs.America is Pioneer of IT but now it behind in race

• gail tolson on Monday, March 11, 2013

  i think there sure be more training for people over 50 there no jobs out for that age it is sad ! i been looking for about 2 years lost home and cant get my lift back on track just bad for 50 and older.

• Don on Monday, March 11, 2013

  Jeannie, I completely agree with you. IT Wannabe, I would start by not linking to something that would be considered rude, contraversal otherwise. I interview people all the time, see resumes and talk with firms hiring daily. There are jobs out there but people have become very lazy, and unmotivated. They also seem to think they are too good for certain positions. Take an unpaid internship! It shows you really want a job, even if it's a position that you don't want, it's a foot in the door. Another viable option is doing contract work. There are lots or companies that will use professionals for projects. This is a great way to meet people, get more experience and more items for your resumes. In the end, if two resumes hit my desk I'll take the person that has been continuing themselves, not the one that has been unemployed for multiple years.

• @DWDevelopments on Monday, March 11, 2013

  @Don point me in the direction of one of those unpaid internships, what others see as unpaid I see as priceless. Money is easy to make with the right application, knowledge, and leverage. Experience is the problem I am facing.

• Martin Ayona on Monday, March 11, 2013

  Hi..from Lima Peru. I have comptia certification: COMPTIA A+. COMPTIA NETWORK+. COMPTIA SECURITY+.

• Martin Ayona on Monday, March 11, 2013

  Hi..from limaperu. I have comptia certification: COMPTIA A+. COMPTIA NETWORK+. COMPTIA SECURITY+.