Silver City, NM – Six months after making a commitment to redevelop the Computer Technology Program, Western New Mexico University has become a Microsoft Training Academy Partner.
Students and community members can sign up for three-week long IT classes worth 3-college credits each and a Microsoft certification, issued on-site at the end of the class.
“This is now a very powerful program,” Adjunct Professor of Computer Technology Doug Miranda explained. “Six months ago, the College of Community and Workforce Development decided to completely rebuild the Computer Technology Program, with the goal of offering up-to-date, in-demand IT classes based upon current industry standards. By partnering with Microsoft, the College of Community and Workforce Development has been able to do that very quickly.”
Students looking to earn an AAS (Associates of Applied Science) Degree in Computer Technology will walk away from the two-year course of study with an additional 11 MTA (Microsoft Technology Associate) Certifications, 1 MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate) Certification and three Microsoft Expert Certifications in Private Cloud, Server Infrastructure and Desktop Infrastructure.
“When the College of Community and Workforce Development thought about what direction to take the program, we identified the goal of taking a student and not only making him or employable, but helping the student get into the workforce immediately,” Miranda explained. “I’ve personally seen companies looking to hire IT specialists who will substitute expert level Microsoft Certifications for a master’s degree, which makes our AAS worth a lot in terms of real-world application.”
Community members are also invited to enroll the courses. Classes run in three-week blocks from 2:30 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. Monday through Friday. “Before we partnered with Microsoft, the nearest place anyone could get these certifications was in El Paso,” Miranda explained. “This partnership can potentially benefit members of the community and surrounding areas looking to receive IT Certifications.”
In addition to on-site certifications, Microsoft will submit the name of every graduate who receives a certification to an online database, accessible by potential employers. Once certified, graduates can also use the Official Microsoft logo on business cards, making potential employers aware of their qualifications. “The College of Community and Workforce Development is very excited about this partnership,” Miranda concluded. “The fact that we can offer these courses and certify on site makes this program unique.”
For more information on Microsoft Certified courses, contact Doug Miranda at mirandad@wnmu.edu or contact Advisor Krista Mesa at 575-538-6290.