December 15th marked yet another graduation where an area employers announced the hire of students from the current class, turning them from intern to employee. With close to 100 people and a standing room audience in the space, volunteers, partners, business leaders, friends, and family from across the area came to celebrate and support another round of Tech Foundry graduates ready to enter the IT job world in the Pioneer Valley.
Tech Foundry’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Jonathan Edwards, led the event by speaking to the accomplishments of the Tech Foundry students saying “The class we’ve had this time around is truly remarkable. Now it’s time to build on that momentum”.
Turnout for the 3rd graduation of 2016 was indicative of the buzz that Tech Foundry has created across the Springfield community and employer network. In response to a large number of stakeholders at the event, Tech Foundry founder and board chair, Delcie Bean challenged the graduating students, saying “live up to the expectations that everyone in the room has for you by helping the Springfield economy grow and thrive.”
Families, friends, and employers also heard insights from guest speakers Dr. Carol A. Leary, President of Bay Path University and Andrew Anderlonis, President of Rediker Software. Dr. Leary spoke to the 27 graduates about the profound connections made in the program saying “This is an experience you’ll talk about for the rest of your life”.
In remarks about the impact Tech Foundry is making on the region’s talent pipeline, Anderlonis referenced two students from the current Tech Foundry graduating class that had turned from intern to employee at Rediker.
“Tech Foundry has helped solve the problem of finding passionate and committed individuals by preparing and training talented and quality candidates for the evolving local tech workforce needs,” said Anderlonis. “With the recent hire of two graduates, Carlee Navarro and Lulu Mitchell, and a third hired this past summer, Rediker Software is invigorated to partner with such a fantastic local organization like Tech Foundry.”
Edwards concluded the event by adding, “The 27 students have officially become Tech Foundry Alumni and have made their mark on us, as represented in the ceremonial wall signing. Now prepped with the tools and knowledge to make it in IT, they will enter the IT workforce earmarked for success.”
MassLive features the story, here.
“Earlier this year, Tech Foundry released job placement statistics for its first two classes to MassLive. Those statistics showed how initial low job placement rates led to a change in how Tech Foundry selects its students, as well as an upward trend in the number of students landing full-time jobs after graduation from the program.”
