Nevada Technology Academy state's first-ever certified IBM Skills Academy

RENO, Nev. — Nevada Technology Academy, which recently rebranded from Reno Technology Academy because of its increased statewide reach, has obtained certification as the Silver State's first-ever IBM Skills Academy

Launched in 2017 with just a handful of students in computer basics courses, Nevada Technology Academy first gained attention by working with the Governor's Office of Economic Development to launch the state's first industry-designed IoT and Cybersecurity certification programs in 2018.

Within 6 months, the academy attracted more than 80 students into these 50 and 43 credit-hour curriculums. Nevada technology companies have since started employing NTA students while they are still only partially through the program.

“Over the last two years, NTA has changed the makeup of Nevada's workforce enablement," said NTA Business Development Executive Phil Holland. "The private/public partnership model enables NTA to quickly launch technology training to meet the ever changing needs of Nevada's growing Tech industry."

With the success of this curriculum, NTA has worked to expand its programs, with a particular focus on rural communities and underserved populations. Consequently, NTA recently went through a certification program with IBM, resulting in the IBM Skills Academy designation.

The IBM Skills Academy is a comprehensive training and badging program designed to empower students of various backgrounds with the skills needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving technical workforce.

All Skills Academy instructors are trained by IBM and students receive both classroom and hands-on experience, resulting in portable, industry-recognized credentials.

NTA is now certified to teach IBM's curriculum in seven technical areas, both in a classroom setting and through distance learning, opening up training opportunities to Nevadans who've not previously had access to top-level technical education.

NTA plans to launch the IBM Skills Academy early this year by offering its Blockchain Fundamentals class.

“The IBM Skills Academy Blockchain Practitioners course will be the first of its kind in Nevada, providing students with industry-leading case studies, overviews of state-of-the-art technology platforms and tools, and provide them with a digital badge in Blockchain technology," NTA Director Steve Andreano said.

Throughout 2020, NTA plans to roll out the other six IBM skills academy courses: Design Thinking, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Science, and Cloud Services.

This article was provided by Nevada Technology Academy. Nevadans interested in the Blockchains Fundamentals class can apply by calling 775-849-4983 or visiting nvtechacademy.com.