As organizations emerge from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and navigate a new business climate, the gap between what computer-science professionals know and what organizations need is widening.
The U.S. is producing too few computer-science graduates, and the ones who do enter the field typically are not fluent in the languages, frameworks, and code required by today’s organizations.
The good news is that if you are fresh out of college or new to the tech industry, this shortfall presents a huge opportunity. You just need some help getting a foot in the door.
At Manifest Solutions, we are working to bridge the gap by helping businesses and consultants stay ahead of the technology curve in a rapidly evolving industry. We curate and cultivate the very best IT talent to solve the complexities of today’s business needs, providing the practical, real-world background that companies are expecting of computer-science professionals.
We approach IT consulting with the mindset of a matchmaker, striving to find the “eHarmony” between clients and consultants by pairing the person with the right skills and personality to the unique assignment. We balance both the personal and technical connections the organization requires.
One way we do this is through our immersive Agility Boot Camp, which takes individuals with a high technical aptitude and transforms them into productive technology consultants. The six-week program, geared toward recent college graduates and those transitioning into the IT field, is taught by experienced industry professionals who understand the needs of modern organizations. By focusing on in-demand technologies that are not usually taught in schools—Java, Spring, JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, React, Web Security, Accessibility, Acceptance Test Driven Development (ATDD), and more—the boot camp produces graduates who immediately support businesses throughout Central Ohio. Participants are paid from the start of the program and, upon completion, can land assignments that typically require 3 to 5 years of experience—moving from novice to professional in only six weeks.
To understand what skills are in demand, we listen to organizations about their needs. As consultants, we go into the field to work on client projects, gather feedback, and get to know the languages, frameworks, and code required to complete a task.
The Agility Boot Camp is not our only tool for bridging the gap between classrooms and organizations.
With the belief that education and opportunity are the two great equalizers, we have created endowed scholarships for students with financial need at Columbus State Community College (CSCC) and Central State University (CSU). The money donated is invested by the colleges and the interest is used to fund scholarships, helping generations of students struggling to pay for college. Additionally, we have partnered with CSCC and CSU to create a hackathon that arms students with new in-demand abilities and an opportunity to network with IT professionals looking to hire experienced talent.
Many organizations are eager to bridge technology’s talent gap, making it a great time to launch a career in IT that prioritizes problem solving and hands-on building. There are ample opportunities to break into the industry, it is just a matter of acquiring the requisite skills.
We believe it is possible to bridge the gap between classrooms and organizations and are working every day to do so.
Interested in joining us? Apply to the Agility Boot Camp today.
Thank you for reading the first installment of our Bridging the Gap Series: How Manifest Connects Talent and Tech. Join us again soon for Bridging the Gap, Part II: Why the Tech Talent Gap Persists.
Part I: Connecting Talent and Tech
Part II: Why the Tech Talent Gap Persists
Part III: Here’s What New Computer Science Grads Actually Need to Know
Part IV: How We Develop—and Share—Tech Talent
