Information Technology
While industry demand is a key driver of enrollment growth, the adoption of innovative approaches to course delivery and the expansion of IT career pathways through industry apprenticeships have helped the college to attract, retain, and graduate more IT talent each year.
IT Students Learn and Earn in Flexible Apprenticeships
I Chose Columbus State: Garrett Braxton's Story
IT Flexible Apprenticeships (ITFA) allow students to apply classroom learning—in real time—to work in paid positions with top regional employers.
IT Flexible Apprenticeships (ITFA) allow students to apply classroom learning—in real time—to work in paid positions with top regional employers. Funded by a $3.78 million U.S. Department of Labor grant and a $560,000 NSF Advanced Technological Education Grant, the ITFA program has reached maturity, engaging more than 400 students since its introduction four years ago. ITFA is a partnership between Central Ohio employer partners and Columbus State that provides a paid work experience where students apply what they are learning in the classroom in a real-life work experience.
- The program was launched in 2018 for students enrolled in Cybersecurity, Software Development, and Data Center Technician majors and has since expanded to other IT programs.
- Apprentices average an hourly wage of $22.50.
- Participating employer partners include Accenture, AEP, Buckeye Innovation, Crane Group, GBQ, Grange Insurance, Honda of America, IGS Energy, Nationwide, Ohio Department of Administrative Services, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Star Seven Six, CORE HCM, and G20.
~50%
Enrollment in IT since 2018
+87%
Increase in Cybersecurity students
+97%
Increase in CCP students in IT and Design
IT programs on the rise
Chosen to propel national innovation in IT education
The National Science Foundation will fund a multi-college IT education innovation center to be led by Columbus State.
In August 2023, Columbus State was awarded a five-year, $7.5 million federal grant to launch a new center focused on creating and scaling up the high-demand training needed to fuel the country’s technology-enabled economic growth.
The National Information Technology Innovation Center (NITIC) will work with employers and community colleges across the country to prepare highly skilled technicians through credential programs that take two years or less.
Columbus State is the lead institution in the NITIC, joined by partners from Collin College (McKinney, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex), Lone Star College (Houston, Texas), Maricopa Community Colleges (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sinclair Community College (Dayton).
Key components of the NITIC include:
- The development of a national Business Industry Leadership Team to align future community college curriculum with employer demand, scaling up relationships at super-regional levels to national collaboration.
- The creation of an IT Innovation Network to benchmark best practices and emerging ideas to advance IT education nationally and to serve as an incubator for leading-edge curriculum.
- The syndication of instructor training resources to address current and future IT competencies.
- The promotion of recruitment best practices to increase the participation of women, underrepresented minorities, and military veterans.
16
NSF Awards since 2013
The NSF's Most-Awarded College
The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that funds science and engineering advancement projects at U.S. colleges and universities. With the NITIC grant, Columbus State has received 16 NSF Advanced Technological Education awards since 2013—more than any other individual college in the country
IT Program Growth
2018
1,193
2020
833
2022
833
Information Systems Technology
The Information Systems Technology Department provides degrees and certificates that are well-matched to local employment needs. We work closely with local employers to make sure we're teaching the skills you need to get a job.
We provide hands-on curriculum in programming logic, systems analysis, and cybersecurity. And many of our courses are available online so you can learn at your own pace.