Firm sees ‘overwhelming response’ to cybersecurity training program

When someone looks to change career paths and get into a new industry, it can be tough.

Nevada has tapped a company to help make that transition easier for those seeking work in the technology sector.

Transmosis is a workforce trainer focused on developing a pipeline of skilled labor by helping job seekers address skill gaps.

After years of Silicon Valley experience, Chase Norlin, CEO of Transmosis, noticed that most could break into the tech industry with a little training.

“You just need a couple of key things — ambition and transferable skills,” Norlin said. “You need some basis of being able to learn new skills or can be easily adaptable.”

Norlin started the program in California and saw early success, for example, taking someone who was long-term unemployed to landing them a job with Google after completing training.

Transmosis now offers various tech-related courses in Nevada, including cybersecurity.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said that the long-term growth projections for the information security analyst position in the Las Vegas region is 38.6 percent, and 43.5 percent for the state, for the professional, scientific or technical industries. There are 290 people employed in this type of position in Las Vegas and 360 throughout the state; there are 80,180 nationwide.

“The demand for jobs there is through the roof,” he said. “There are not even remotely enough people currently skilled enough to get jobs in that field.”

The latest course — which is entirely online — is an almost 4-month-long virtual bootcamp, funded through the STEM Workforce Challenge Grant via the Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology.

Those chosen for the cybersecurity course can do so with no out-of-pocket costs for the program that runs around $5,000.

With the program increasingly gaining traction, Norlin said the latest course had an overwhelming number of applicants.

“We’ve had a record turnout with over 200 applications for the 15 subsidized spots. So, there is a lot of demand from the local population in this field.” he said. “We’re going to double that class size to 30 because of the overwhelming response. So Transmosis is figuring out a way to get some type of subsidy for the remaining 15.”

Making the program even more attractive is that half of the available jobs in STEM industries don’t require a four-year degree and the average wage of sub-baccalaureate STEM being around $50,000 per year, according to Transmosis. Those wages are almost 50 percent higher than those of non-STEM jobs with similar education requirements, the company said.

After taking a Transmosis course in internet technology, one local participant left a fast-food job and ended up at a technology firm.

“I was working at Jamba Juice trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” said Zen Mori, IT technician at Las Vegas-based Full Spectrum Laser. “I heard about the IT Desktop Support program and couldn’t help but inquire. I couldn’t be happier. Thanks to the hands-on experience and one-on-one mentorship, I am now employed full time (in the tech industry).”

For more information about the application process, click here.

By: Mike Akers

Original source: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/aug/29/firm-sees-overwhelming-response-to-cybersecurity-t/?_ga=2.175704421.634813737.1504040843-1847472169.1504040843

Firm sees ‘overwhelming response’ to cybersecurity training program