Since it’s inception in May 2014, the Florida IT Career (FITC) Alliance has worked to recruit, retain and employ Florida’s upcoming technology workforce. The group has been busy hosting a career fair for 500 high school students, a college career fair, building partnerships with 30 schools and 6 community colleges, etc.  In addition, the group has hired numerous student ambassadors at FSU and FAMU from Information Technology, Computer Science, and Computer Engineering to host schools at FSU as well as visit Panhandle schools.  In an effort to recognize some of the schools, educators, and corporations that make FITC possible, a press conference was held last week at Amos P. Godby High School, one of the FITC school partners.

In the past six months, FITC has hired thirty five full time employees and faculty and hired 16 student ambassadors from FSU and 20 from Florida A&M. With a strong team in place, FITC put on teacher workshops, established eleven educational partners in Leon County, and funded initiatives in those schools like robotic & computer equipment, after school tech clubs, career fairs, and internships.

Speakers at the conference included Ebe Randeree, Associate Dean at the College of Communication & Information at FSU, Dr. Larry Dennis, Dean of the College of Communication and Information, Dr. Maurice Edington, Dean of the College of Science & Technology at Florida A&M.

Educators from Amos P. Godby and Lawton Chiles High School spoke about the opportunities FITC has afforded their students.

Vernon Chipman, who teaches Career Technical Education at Godby, spoke about the Technology Student Alliance (TSA) conference that FITC enabled his students to travel to.

Julie Childers, teacher at Lawton Chiles, talked about the importance of getting students excited and involved in technology. The Alliance enabled her to bring engineering students into her classroom to talk about different career options for kids. 

Two FITC Ambassadors, Courtney Lisenbee and Jigar Patel, talked about their experience working with students. “It’s really rewarding to talk to students and see them get excited about a career in tech,” said Lisenbee.

For more on future press conferences and news, check FITC’s website.