Sinclair360

When Sinclair Community College graduate Ken Wolf took a tour of The Reynolds and Reynolds Company during a job interview, he was able to point out numerous machines that he already knew how to operate. It’s likely that the practical high-tech education he received at Sinclair helped give him an edge and land him a position as a technician responsible for monitoring computer networks at the information-technology (IT) company.

Wolf graduated with honors from Sinclair in December 2010, taking with him an associate degree of applied science in Network Engineering. “The day before my last day of school, I had an interview,” he said. “By the next week, I was hired.” While Ken doesn’t represent a typical scenario, local experts predict a bright future for tech jobs in the region. 

Tech market showing growth

Ann Gallaher is chief operating officer of Technology First, a local IT trade association. She said that the market for IT jobs shows recent improvement. “Companies are really interested in leveraging IT, to see how they can use data and other technology solutions to increase their revenue,” said Gallaher. 

Gallaher shared some hard numbers that support her belief in a promising future for students graduating with high-tech degrees: 74 percent of companies responding to a recent local survey stated that they employ network engineers; 78 percent stated that they employ support analysts; and 87 percent said that they employ programmers and application developers.

According to Matt Massie, director of career services for Sinclair, as the entire local economy expands with new employers and growth surrounding Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, so does the requirement for support positions. “Across the board things are getting better. As other industries start hiring, they have an increased need for technology, which results in a need for people to support it.”

Another success story

Scott Hurst represents another Sinclair success story. He received a degree in Computer Information Systems/User Support, graduating in late 2010. Like Wolf, Hurst concentrated his classes in Network Engineering. He now works as a paid intern at Radian Guaranty Inc., a mortgage insurance company with a data center located in Dayton. Hurst works as a network-operation-center operator. After he completes his internship, he’d loved to land a job at Radian or a similar company. 

A new start

Even though the local economy is slowly recovering, both Hurst and Wolf said that they’re miles from where they were just a few short years ago. When Wolf lost his job as a graphic designer at Auto Trader magazine, his wife was pregnant, and he was worried. But he researched future job trends from top to bottom, even analyzing information offered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s how he discovered network engineering – a career not only in demand, but in line with his personal interests. “I work with computers at home a lot. It’s a hobby of mine,” said Wolf, adding that his research indicated that he didn’t initially need a four-year degree to enter the tech market.

Hurst also knows what it’s like to have the rug pulled out from under him. A 15-year veteran of the former General Motors assembly plant in Moraine, he was forced to explore future work options when, in October 2008, it was clear that he’d soon be out of work. Like Wolf, he loved and was fascinated with computer technology. After he toured Sinclair with Martha Taylor, chair of Computer Information Systems/User Support, he was sold on the program, especially since it offered hands-on experience with the computer systems that support the college. “She helped me shape the milestones I set for myself,” said Hurst about Taylor.

Pushing learning limits

“We’re in the business of changing lives,” said Taylor, explaining that the diverse program offers two degrees and six concentrations, to prepare students for a variety of computer-network, Web- and software-development positions.

Sinclair’s Computer Information Systems/User Support students come from a variety of former employment backgrounds, from foodservice to forklift operators, said Taylor. They’ve completed internships and landed jobs at diverse companies, including the City of Fairborn; Dayton Children’s; Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.; LexisNexis; WorkflowOne; and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The design of Sinclair’s Computer Information Systems/User Support program is one of the main reasons the college helps successfully reorient students toward new career options. “We push the limit of practical learning,” said Taylor. 

In line with employers

Massie said that local companies often visit Sinclair, conducting job interviews and meeting with as many as nine students per day. “It gives the employers a lot of value for their time.

“Sinclair students are very successful at finding job opportunities that relate to their educational background,” added Massie, explaining that career services participates in regional “digital mixers,” and holds workshops and events to support students’ job searches. “Networking is one of the biggest skills we teach.”

Taylor offers Sinclair’s focus on Cisco^® technology, known as the standard in the industry, as an example of how Sinclair’s curriculum is guided by continually tracking key developments within the industry. “All companies recognize [the Cisco] curriculum,” said Taylor. “We have racks of Cisco equipment and constantly revise our courses. They change, we change.” Sinclair students graduate ready to complete testing for Cisco Certified Networking Associate certification, also considered standard in the industry.

Hurst said that another advantage of Sinclair’s tech curriculum is how it provided him a jump-start on a bachelor’s degree, one of his future goals.  

Meanwhile, Wolf feels confident about his newfound career at The Reynolds and Reynolds Company. “They are definitely making a strong commitment to invest in their workforce.”

By Alison Bour

Alison Bour has been an independent writer for 18 years. She resides in Centerville, Ohio.