Building Indiana’s Digital Workforce: Ivy Tech’s School of IT

From fast-paced industry competitions and immersive cybersecurity training to emerging programs in artificial intelligence and fiber optics, Ivy Tech Community College’s School of Information Technology is giving students across Indiana hands-on experiences, flexible pathways and in-demand skills to launch—and advance—technology careers. 

Student Vidhi Patel strengthened his confidence in his technical and problem-solving skills by tackling real industry challenges in a competition against his peers during Ivy Tech's IT Challenge, one of several opportunities for students in the School of IT to grow their skillset through hands-on experiences. The high-energy, one-day competition, hosted in partnership with TechPoint and Google, allows Indiana college student teams to solve real industry problems and showcase their skills to employers in Indiana. 

“Competing in the challenge gave me more confidence in my technical and problem-solving skills...and it showed me that the skills I was developing at Ivy Tech could be applied to real-world situations and helped prepare me for my career,” said Patel, past winner of the IT Challenge.  

This year’s event is on November 20, and registration opened yesterday.   

“Employers are looking for people with applicable experience, but students don’t always have access to the opportunities they need to build it. That’s the experience gap we’re working to close,” says Sally Reasoner, vice president of talent strategy at TechPoint. “Our partnership with Ivy Tech on the IT Challenge benefits both sides: students put what they’re learning into practice and solve problems as a team, while employers gain fresh ideas and new perspectives on how to use technology, including AI. It is a fantastic win-win and we are grateful for the opportunity to do this work alongside Ivy Tech.” 

The Cyber Academy is another unique opportunity that Ivy Tech offers. Based at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center (MUTC), located between Cincinnati, Louisville and Indianapolis, MUTC serves as a federal training facility and is home to the Cybertropolis, an urban cyber testing and training environment. 

The program, in its ninth cohort, allows students to pursue an associate degree in applied science in only 11 months, developing a skill set used by the National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Defense and an opportunity to transfer credits to pursue a bachelor’s degree, said Pam Schmelz, Dean, School of Business and Information Technology at Ivy Tech Columbus. 

“Ivy Tech offers students the opportunity to truly succeed and get the support they need along the way. You get a solid education, people who care about your future and you can develop a love of continuous learning,” Schmelz said. 

Ivy Tech’s School of IT regularly updates curriculum to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry. New programs in areas like applied artificial intelligence, information systems and analytics, and cable and fiber optic installation meet the needs of the more than 6,000 students who enrolled last year across the state. Last year, the school awarded 799 certificates, 822 technical certificates, and 735 associate degrees. 

An important part of success for the school is working to develop pathways that expose younger students to IT careers. At Ivy Tech in Columbus, that includes an IT pathway with Columbus Signature Academy, as well as Air Force Association CyberPatriot Camps offered through grant funding from All Within My Hands, a nonprofit created by the band Metallica. 

Part of helping younger students understand what is possible in IT is also about making sure students have a passion for the field and that they are intellectually curious, Andrew Martin, Department Chair of IT Infrastructure & Operations at Ivy Tech Fort Wayne said. 

Martin loves to share his own story of how he got into IT work after his parents bought him a laptop for his 13th birthday. "I immediately downloaded a bunch of malware trying to get video games on the laptop and then my parents made me fix it, which is how I learned I liked to work with technology,” he said. 

Kenyatte Simuel, Department Chair, Network Infrastructure at Ivy Tech Sellersburg, said his favorite part of the job is working with students inside or outside the classroom, especially as a lead advisor for the technology club.  

“We are in a great position to do applied research as a community college and we can make it regionally relevant like automation in Bloomington, chips in Lafayette and cybersecurity near Muscatatuck. We can push the bounds with students – especially in the club,” said Kenyatte. “I like to get students to be as excited as possible about the possibilities.” 

Students are taking notice and shaping their paths based on the variety of offerings available at Ivy Tech.  

Nathan Quisenberry, a recent Ivy Tech Columbus associate degree graduate, is working as an IT specialist at Nike now, while also pursuing his second Ivy Tech degree in applied artificial intelligence.  

Nathan decided to attend Ivy Tech after a long career in construction. Learning how to learn again, with writing assignments and online formats, was the hardest part. He is excited to complete his degree and hopefully continue his applied AI education at a four-year institution next year.  

“The structure of Ivy Tech’s classes, the affordability, the blended in-person and online work and the fact that there were a lot of other working adults in the program made it a good fit for me. As long as you are willing to be consistent in your effort and engage in the program, I would always recommend Ivy Tech to a prospective student,” Nathan said. 

Through industry partnerships, specialized programs and career-focused instruction, Ivy Tech’s School of Information Technology is helping students of all ages turn curiosity into practical skills and opportunities that strengthen Indiana’s digital workforce.