This past spring, Kate Southwick, director of student relations and partner collaboration, along with a team of representatives from the Center, engaged approximately 125 students with an interest in IT at Washburn, South, and Alternative Schools in Minneapolis during career fairs. Hands-on interaction generated much interest as students identified computer components and discussed IT careers and educational pathways.

The Center collaborated again this summer with Upward Bound to connect Arlington high school students with IT professionals at Beckman Coulter, a bio-medical technologies manufacturing company. Fifty students toured the Chaska facilities on July 8 and participated in job shadowing, touring the systems integration lab and IT department, and hands-on activities with software validation and development.    

On June 17, Minneapolis high school students came to MCTC to learn computer security during the MCTC Summer Windows on the World (WOW) program. The students participated in a two week long "Career and College Experience" with various activities in five different career fields. Firasat Khan, the Center's security project manager, taught students the importance of being knowledgeable computer and Internet users through the "S.H.I.E.L.D." program. Through the S.H.I.E.L.D. components (Security Smarts, Hardening Hardware, Internet Interactions, Electronic Ethics, Layered Lockdown, and Digital Defense), students learned about encryption, secure passwords, detecting phishing email, and components of setting up a secure network.

Our student web site, MnITcareers.org, is more useful and user friendly and has evolved into a gateway to discussions and information on all aspects of IT careers and education. A series of user tests with a diverse group of students led to the  restructure of the MnITcareers site. New content will be added during August, so the site will be ready for students returning to school in the fall.

A new benefit to students engaged with the Center is the creation of the IT Student E-bulletin. The Center began sending the E-bulletin periodically during the spring to keep IT students apprised of current and upcoming job search and IT career networking events, scholarships, IT news, and career and job search tips. All students have the opportunity to receive this bulletin simply by contacting Kate Southwick.