For years, university education was seen as the pinnacle of learning for most fields. While still an excellent way for students to learn crucial knowledge on career paths they hope to explore, it has become far from the only method to gain expertise.
Smoothstack – an organization providing paid IT training programs for careers with market-leading organizations – recognizes that not all universities’ tech programs have managed to keep up with the rapidly evolving growth and trends the industry has experienced over the past few years. This may create obstacles for students that want to pursue tech careers after graduation.
Here, Smoothstack reviews a few crucial components that some university tech programs currently lack and how they can be changed to improve students’ technical education.
Comprehensive Training for Sought-After Roles
For university students to get the most out of their tech education, colleges will need to provide training that will open the door for career options in technology.
According to a survey performed by PwC, 79% of participating CEOs reported that they were “extremely” or “somewhat” concerned by the lack of talent available for tech roles. It raises several questions regarding why CEOs cannot find people with skills to fill these positions.
When Smoothstack reviews potential reasons colleges aren’t cutting it in handling the growing skill divide in the tech workforce, the most glaring is a lack of insight into which skills will best prepare students for technical roles. After all, it is possible to hone one’s cognitive and critical thinking skills without further developing those necessary for roles employers need to fill.
Many universities simply lack practical apprenticeships programs or mentorship opportunities that provide a direct path to a diverse range of tech opportunities.
While there are many potential ways to solve the lack of a direct pipeline to jobs, apprenticeship training, and similar programs are growing in relevance because they can show new tech workers which skills they need quickly and efficiently.
Affordable Education Options
The cost of university education in the United States has been a heated topic of discussion for years now. Students are growing critical of the quality of education they receive in relation to how much it will help them propel their careers.
A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $30,000 a year, depending on factors such as location or prestige. This can make accessing a career in technology inaccessible for many prospective students that cannot secure loans or financial assistance for their educational pursuit.
Smoothstack recognizes that the inaccessibility of higher education for tech is just as damaging for the workforce as it is for prospective students.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the Computer and Information Technology sector will add over 531,000 jobs by 2029- with 261,000 added in the past year. Naturally, companies will want to fill tech roles as they expand their digital channels, but this is becoming a problem as companies deal with a continuing developer shortage.
Unified Curricula and Education Quality
In terms of educational quality for IT, a few colleges are leading the pack. To this point, Smoothstack partners with a variety of universities with top tech talent to help them find fruitful careers in the industry.
One of the inherent issues with university tech education is the differences in the curriculum from one school to another. Employers cannot trust that each tech student has received the same training on the hard and soft skills necessary for the job- making it harder for some students to remain competitive in the job search.
Curricula are just too widely varied across universities for employers to trust the level of preparation of prospective candidates joining their organization.
Perhaps the most streamlined approach for universities to address this gap is to study existing trends within the traditional and Gig economies and evolve their curricula. Having a clear idea of what skills and core training employers are looking for is an excellent way to pair students with their dream careers in tech.
This is an approach that many organizations specializing in tech training utilize, and if done correctly, can help them stay abreast of the rapidly-changing needs for technology careers.
Strong Support Networks for Students
Tech talent incubators have seen growth within the past few years because they have provided much-needed support for prospective workers.
Universities do an excellent job of creating environments for students to collaborate, find mentorship, and hone their skills, but this support drops off dramatically upon graduation.
The pandemic’s harsh lesson is the widening gap in educational quality, especially during online learning. For students having a tough time financially, having unequal access to technology, or having disabilities, lack of access to support can be even more glaring. But unforeseen challenges can make any student fall behind.
Organizations such as Smoothstack acknowledge how vital support is for members of the tech sector, finding that a streamlined approach to training is the best way to keep individuals from falling behind.
Smoothstack partners with universities to find high-potential computer science and GI Bill students. They provide robust paid training for candidates, and then place them with top-tier employers for rewarding careers- forming a pipeline that brings students from newcomers to tech professionals.
Organizations that do not have a clear path to job placement often struggle on the support front. There are many steps between starting an educational journey and finding the career that fits you best, and one of the easiest ways to be supportive is to be there along the way.
Looking to the Future
It is important to remember that many university-level tech programs do an excellent job of nurturing their students and helping them find careers that they can be proud of.
For universities currently struggling to keep up with trends driving development in the tech industry, Smoothstack encourages evaluating programs to ensure that they are doing the best for their students.
Students pursuing a career in tech can find the right path for them by examining their educational options. To get the most out of your educational experience, do not forget that there are organizations out there that will provide supplemental training!
