Ohio Tech Day Shows Local Students Opportunities

Marion Technical College was proud to host students from Tri-Rivers Career Center and Delaware Area Career Center for them to get hands-on experience in these fields during CyberSecurity Awareness Month.

Dozens of students tried their hands at local projects including programming Raspberry Pi, a computer the size of a credit card, and Hack the Box, an online platform where students can test their skills with cyber security. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the need for more security to deter hackers, stop phishing scams and protect financial and personal data is very apparent.

“I was thrilled that students could get hands-on, real-world experience programming,” said IT Faculty Joe Woughter. “Students got to work with Raspberry Pi’s, a micro-sized computer used in many Internet of Thing’s (IOT) systems such as bringing new cutting-edge smart technology into homes and workplaces. This is a key experience to find out if this is a field they may enjoy.”

“They introduced students to two great programs: cybersecurity and programming. Students were very engaged and had an excellent time!” said Greg McDonough, Application Development and programming instructor with Delaware Area Career Center. “This gives students a great exposure of what is out there and what Marion Tech has to offer.”

Marion Tech offers a variety of certificates and degrees in fields including cyber security and networking, software development and web development.

“Information Technology jobs are growing. Whether you are a business protecting your customers’ data or yourself when shopping online or opening an email, cybersecurity is critical,” said Ks Ku, IT Faculty at Marion Tech. “These students have opportunities that can pay big dividends for their careers and our community.”

“From software development to cyber security to smart manufacturing, these are in-demand fields,” said Mike White, Associate Dean of Technical Programs at Marion Technical College. “With new information technology jobs being posted every day in central Ohio, we want our students to know about these great-paying jobs and the pathways to learn the required skills.

This Ohio Tech Day is held to raise awareness of the role tech and innovation play in Ohio’s economy and inspire the next generation of tech leaders. Marion Tech joins a host of sponsors including OhioX and Meta.

Marion Tech is proud to offer the Choose Ohio First scholarships in partnership with the Ohio Department of Higher Education to encourage students to go into STEM and stay local for their education and their careers. Marion Tech is accepting applications for scholarships from $1,500 to $5,000 a year for students majoring in IT, engineering technology and health care. The applications for the next round of awards are due Dec. 1. Find details and the application more on www.mtc.edu/scholarships.

Anyone can brush up their computer skills or dip their toes into the fields of software development, data analyst, system administrator and more at  https://bit.ly/MTCUpSkill. Every completed course earns points. Marion Tech will award $10,000 in prizes after the contest closes on Nov. 16. Anyone 16 years old or older can enter as an individual or a team of up to four people. Individuals can win up to $1,500 and teams can earn up to $2,000.