From programming robots to bulding networks, SMWC students get professional, hands-on experience in the CIS program.
Between today and the year 2018, the world of information technology (IT) will explode with more than 250,000 new jobs, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. Right now, five of the top 20 best jobs in America, including the number one, are all in computers. That’s why Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) focuses on preparing today’s leaders for tomorrow’s jobs. The College’s computer information systems (CIS) major, previously offered only online, will now show both distance and campus students how to innovate the world through technology.
“The CIS major at SMWC is general enough to give our students a broad taste of technology, while preparing them as analysts with many career opportunities,” said Lana Lytle, associate professor of information systems at SMWC. As a recent report from Market Watch pointed out, employers everywhere, from Hong Kong to Houston, are scrambling to fill empty IT seats. Lytle believes women need to take advantage of this skyrocketing demand. “By offering CIS as a campus major, too, more women have the chance to succeed in these careers,” she explained. “They’ll attract higher paying jobs and advance the field of technology.”
From managing people to programming databases, SMWC’s CIS majors develop skills that impact every industry. “We show our students how CIS can be leveraged in business, government, healthcare, schools, not-for-profits and more,” Lytle said. By partnering with the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP), SMWC students have another advantage during the job search: they become certified Associate Computer Professionals (ACP) without having to sit for the test. ICCP recognizes the College’s program develops qualified professionals, able to take command of tough projects and produce results. “We’re a special program,” Lytle began. “We’re all about small classes, with a lot of mentoring and communication, and hands-on activities, such as creating networks, building robots and replacing parts.”
SMWC’s CIS campus program provides women an opportunity to excel in a field where they are traditionally underrepresented. The CIS online program is co-educational and offered in both an 8-week and 16-week format.