Around 25 leaders from Midlands-area organizations came together at the Midlands Technical College (MTC) Northeast Campus to discuss their common needs to hire and develop IT talent in Columbia. CEOs and CIOs from area insurance companies, utilities, software companies, government agencies, and small businesses represented a cross-section of organizations who have common goals when it comes to employee staffing. Also present for the discussion was the United States Army Chief Information Officer Lieutenant General Bruce T. Crawford.

MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames said that, with the exponential growth of IT in the Midlands, a discussion with area CEOs about the Columbia IT environment was critical.

"Today, clouds have totally changed the very foundation of our information management," said Rhames. "That is precisely why (MTC) as an institution must stay in close contact with our partners to ensure that we are delivering graduates with the skills that are essential in today’s business and technical world. Keeping pace in this environment requires an agility unlike any we have ever known."

In 2016, there were nearly 6,400 technology companies in South Carolina with more than 3,400 job openings in areas like computer system design and information technology. The average South Carolina employee in this industry earns $76,500.

Along with the opportunity to hear from the Army's top officer when it comes to IT issues, the forum also allowed MTC to gain important insight about the organizations who attended – insight that can help MTC create education and training opportunities to help employers to fill their workforce needs more quickly.

Topics at the forum included developing IT Talent in a competitive market, training of non-technical soft skills, needing operational technology talent, and removing the barriers to four-year-degree-only job postings.

"This forum on IT is a topic of common interest for all of us," said Rhames. "Through our discussions, we have new ideas on how we can work together to help meet the industries' workforce needs. A big part of the solution is to continue exploring ways to increase the number of people entering into to the IT field through education and training at MTC."

Midlands Technical College offers dozens of academic degrees and training certifications in areas like computer support, programming, database development, and networking. Some courses can be completed in only a few weeks and give students the skills to move directly into the IT workforce.

Learn more information on Midlands Technical College's programs in Information Technology here.