New IBM SkillsBuild Certificates to be deployed in Community college systems

IBM's certificate deployment at community colleges is a significant component of the shift towards a skills-first approach in various recruitments by 2030. These certificates will equip people with new skills which will make them ready for the changing job environment.

IBM has launched two new IBM SkillsBuild certificates in cybersecurity and data analytics. IBM has piloted and designed these certificates with community colleges. These certificates will be made available to students of Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Colorado Community College System, Bay Area Community College Consortium, and Alabama Community College System this fall.

Lydia Logan, Vice President for Global Education and Workforce Development, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility said, "Community colleges play a critical role in advancing the adoption of essential technology skills for the workforce. With these new credentials, IBM is helping learners gain the in-demand skills employers are seeking in a new AI-enabled workplace."

Certificates Detail

• In IBM SkillsBuild Cybersecurity Certificate, students can learn about high-in-demand skills including cloud security, security operations management, vulnerability management, system and network security, governance, risk, compliance and data privacy, and incident response and system forensics.
• In IBM SkillsBuild Data Analytics Certificate, students learn about inferential and descriptive statistics, data usability for organizations, data classification, data visualization and presentation, data preparation for analysis, and data collection and analysis.

Students will get access to IBM's over 1,000 free courses

The students will automatically get access to more than 1,000 free courses such as on cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analytics, workplace skills, AI and sustainability.

Dr. Courtney Monette, Special Programs Project Director, Alabama Community College System said, "Alabama community college worked with IBM to pilot the Cybersecurity Certificate because of the strong need for entry-level competency-based credentials that help students start on a pathway for an IT career. In 2021, Alabama adopted a skills-based workforce training program called Mobilizing Alabama Pathways, or MAPs, that allows new and returning adult education and career pathway students an opportunity to earn a credential like the IBM SkillsBuild Cybersecurity or Data Analytics Certificate; thus building confidence and basic employability skills for all high demand high wage career clusters."

Richard Grotegut, Computer Network Technology Faculty at Diablo Valley College, part of the Contra Costa Community College District and a member of the Bay Area Community College Consortium said,"Using the IBM SkillsBuild Cybersecurity credential for my two community education Cybersecurity Fundamentals courses that I piloted at Diablo Valley College during last fall and spring semesters, proved to be a rewarding experience for the student participants, for me, and for the college. It confirmed the college's decision to offer the course as part of their academic offerings beginning this coming school year. The credential proved to be a very good entry-level introduction to cybersecurity. While most of the participants enhanced their academic credentials and are pursuing further study, several of the course "career-changers" used their success in the class to gain employment in technical support positions with local companies. The rich course content and approach, with a strong focus on oral and written communication skills, was a key factor in building the confidence that helped the students land those jobs."

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