Industry Demand & Engagement

Labor Trends and Industry Need

Technology is a key industrial sector in the central Ohio region. According to Columbus 2020 the regional economic development agency, the region hosts more than 2,100 technology-focused businesses and nearly 60,000 individuals are employed in the technology sector. The state’s economic-development agency, JobsOhio, identified information technology as a targeted industry for continued growth (JobsOhio, 2016). As the need for a workforce with increasingly sophisticated technology skills increases, so does the importance of a curriculum that provides individuals with foundational science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge as well as specific technology competencies. Mobile Applications help form a solid user experience, and how people interact both professionally and personally. The Columbus region is home to fourteen Fortune 1000 companies, and has been ranked as the number one market for tech talent among similar sized metro areas. (Technology Spotlight, 2018) As the Columbus technology region continues to grow, these uniquely crafted programs in Mobile App Design and Mobile App Development will help fuel the technology sector with a well-qualified workforce.

Columbus Region: Technology Market Overview

Industry Trends and Job Growth

The unprecedented growth in information technology continues to fuel the need for a larger, mobile-focused workforce with current technical skills. In 2015 and 2016, the PIs conducted a series of focus group sessions with area Columbus technology leaders to assess the workforce opportunities available in the region. A Job Skills Analysis using Compression Planning was conducted in 2016, and outcomes from the sessions led to the following insights that inform the goals of this grant:

• Java knowledge is required for Mobile Application Development.
• Programming students need Java Certification to validate their skills to employers.
• Classroom education supplemented by project-based learning increases graduates’ employability.
• Evidence of mobile app development increases graduates’ employability.
• Previously educated and incumbent workers in web development and/or software programming are now expected to know how to adapt their applications for mobile consumption.

Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT)

A Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) was established to drive the curriculum development process for both the Mobile Application Design and Mobile Application Development degrees. The BILT was composed of education and industry partners, representing both the technology and design fields, and were convened in an initial meeting on December 14, 2017. This meeting was facilitated by Co-PI, Dr. Ann Beheler, and the group discussed broad knowledge areas, skills, and abilities relevant to both mobile application designers and developers. After discussion of each knowledge area a vote was taken in order to gauge the relevance of each specific point.

The Business and Industry Leadership Industry Team was is comprised of the following industry and educational partners:

• Ann Beheler- Collin College
• Brice Chidester- IBM iX Columbus
• Chunbo Chu- Franklin University
• Paul Costianes- IBM iX Columbus
• Sean Cowan- Fahlgren Mortine
• John Dazey- Pillar Technology
• Eric Downey- Information Control Company
• Zachary Dziczkowski- ADH Guardian USA, Intrepid Networks
• Derek Fitzer- SouthWestern City Schools
• Andy Ignor- Franklin University
• Kennedy Kok- k5software
• Eric McGary- IBM iX Columbus
• Jill Neely- Ologie
• Danny Oancea- Pillar Technology
• Alicia Oddie- Rev1 Ventures
• Amy Schakat- SouthWestern City Schools
• Mathew Sheets- braXos Security Software
• Jared Sheffer- Pillar Technology

The core knowledge areas identified and discussed in the BILT meeting are listed in the following document: CSCC Mobile App Designer/Developer Core Knowledge Areas.

Sources:

JobsOhio. (2016) Information Technology. https://jobsohio.com/industries/information-technology/

Technology Spotlight. (2018) https://columbusregion.com/industries/tech/