DeVry University Working to Close Tech Talent Gap in Georgia
As Georgia navigates a shortage of qualified talent for tech roles, one higher education organization is working to create pathways forward for area learners.
Georgia is home to a diverse business landscape, including startups, Fortune 500 organizations and big tech companies across a wide range of verticals like telecom, fintech, healthcare IT, cybersecurity and gaming. Thanks to the continuing growth of these businesses and the influx of companies expanding to the state, job postings for open technology roles in Georgia and its capital city continue to rise. According to CompTIA’s latest Tech jobs report, Atlanta ranks in the top 10 metro areas and Georgia in the top 10 states for a high volume of open tech job roles.
The challenge is that the supply of qualified talent in the technology space isn’t meeting the high demand and important roles are not being filled. During a time of ever-evolving talent needs, what Georgia needs is more nimble upskilling and reskilling opportunities for its current workforce as well as up-to-date academics that will position students for not just the tech roles of today, but also of tomorrow.
DeVry University, for example, provides educational opportunities to gain the skills and knowledge critical to meet the real-time workforce needs of businesses. The university works to close the tech talent gap through agile education and upskilling, partnerships and accessible education for current and prospective learners in the region.
“Georgia continues to experience a tight talent marketplace when it comes to technology and cybersecurity skills in particular,” said Scarlett Howery, vice president of campus & university partnerships at DeVry University. “The region’s organizations need the support of educational partners to not only upskill and reskill the market’s existing workforce but also to develop future talent, fulfill open tech roles and meet skills needs.”
With continued cyber threats and nearly 770,000 unfulfilled cybersecurity job openings in the U.S., DeVry has placed an increased emphasis on cybersecurity skills development. For learners in Georgia and across the country, DeVry launched its Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program, which is designed to grow the supply of talent required to fill the increasing number of job openings in cybersecurity, providing necessary training, networking opportunities, scholarships and resources to access the workforce.
DeVry also recently launched its Nonprofit Cyber Grant program to help nonprofits in Atlanta upskill staff in cybersecurity and data protection as they navigate a digital landscape that positions them as uniquely vulnerable. The grant program helps bolster cyber resiliency for select Atlanta nonprofit organizations that are focused on improving the lives of children and families through educational and housing opportunities, including employees from Communities in Schools, Multi-Agency Alliance for Children (MAAC) and Wellspring Living.
Beyond cybersecurity, an opportunity gap exists in tech more broadly. DeVry’s Women+Tech Scholars Program empowers female students to pursue tech-focused careers through mentorship, early access to job opportunities and scholarships. DeVry also partnered with CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech to develop new career options in IT and expand training and certification opportunities, particularly for underrepresented communities in the current tech force.
These are just some examples of how DeVry continues to reinforce its commitment to closing the opportunity and skills gap in this field while preparing learners for a workforce shaped by continuous technological change. The university encourages organizations of all sizes in Georgia to prioritize industry training and work with educational partners that can truly fill the need for skilled, diverse talent.
