Our goal is to address workforce development issues at the high school, community college, and university levels in the fields of Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Networking and Data Analysis. We develop and design programs to:

  • Place of students in technical internships designed to be the first step in their career pathway.
  • Offer introductory courses at community-based organizations for non-traditional learners.
  • Convene regional stakeholders to discuss common goals, identify resources, document programs and share information on the subject of career pathways.

We have highlighted some of our projects, and we can provide downloadable resources. Should you have any questions, feedback, or input for us to consider, please contact us.

Career and Technical Education, Madison Park High School

An expert on workforce development, Lou Piazza developed a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway for Boston Public Schools which has been implemented at Madison Park High School. This pathway focuses on programming and web development and features a combination of coursework leading to certifications and college credits that can be obtained through advancement in the program. The pathway in its first offering had significant appeal with incoming students, becoming the second most requested pathway at the school.

Technology Internship Program (T.I.P.)

The Technology Internship Program (TIP) is a comprehensive model for placing community college technology students into semester (or summer) long internships with small businesses. In our experience, small business internship demand has been concentrated in web design/social media, help desk technician, and database support. All of the applications, flyers, letters, and surveys, we created for implementing this program are available by request.

Internships for High School Students (Tech Apprentice)

We work in partnership with city-sponsored initiatives to place high school students into paid summer internships. These students are recruited and selected based on their interest in pursuing a career in Information Technology. The Boston-based version of this program works with over 50 companies and places over 130 students annually.

Summer Bridge

The Summer Bridge program, an offering of credit courses and non-credit workshops, was enhanced and scaled at Mass Bay Community College. High school students (juniors and seniors) and incoming freshmen are afforded the opportunity to take one of two credit bearing courses, or participate in a set of awareness building workshops that are technology based.

Bridge To Community College Program

The Bridge to Community College program caters to nontraditional learners, embedding community college classes in community-based organizations alongside tutoring and social services. Introductory classes in a technical field combined with a general education component act as a ladder to the community college.

CPS Early College STEM High Schools

Workforce and economic development are some of the greatest challenges facing our urban cities. An emerging strategy for Career and Technical Education is to offer high school students opportunities for transferable credit in introductory courses in Computer Science and Information Technology. We frequently act as a subject-matter consultant for such endeavors, providing strategic direction, supplying expertise, and curriculum.

Internships in High Tech Start-Ups

This program provides an opportunity for university level students to participate in high technology start-up culture. It provides mentoring, workshops and a curriculum of courses designed to prepare students for a career in the start-up economy. Piloted at the University of Massachusetts, more than 120 students have been placed in over 40 of the best start-up companies in the Boston area.

ICT Pathways

Many of our cities have disparate programs targeting workforce development issues. ICT Pathways is a model for bringing together stakeholders from high schools, community-based organizations, community colleges, 4-year institutions, non-profit organizations and local industry to work on a common goal. We’ve developed a network of systematic resources to support retention, degree completion and career readiness for students and job seekers in computing fields.

LoveTech

Students engage in a viral video challenge to best convey their passion for technology and the benefits of a career involving computers through short videos. LoveTech stars community college students and faculty.