Tech Training Accelerator Initiative
Overview
The Tech Training Accelerator Initiative endeavors to train local workers into high-wage, skilled tech jobs, as well as provide local business owners with tech skills that have become necessary as business operations move online.
Initiative Overview
This initiative seeks to train islanders into high-wage tech careers, either to support local businesses in the San Juan Islands, or to telework with mainland companies.
High-tech jobs offer wages that enable workers to enjoy a comfortable livelihood. The COVID shutdowns demonstrated that many high-tech jobs can be done from our county, thanks to investments made in broadband infrastructure.
While the average hourly wage for service jobs in San Juan County is around $18 per hour, trained tech jobs – even many entry-level jobs – offer wages far above that. For example, average entry-level salary without benefits for a Java developer is around $80,499, or $38.70/hour (data: ZipRecruiter.com).
Additionally, training in many cases can be obtained within a few months, often at little to no cost, through organizations like Codecademy and employers like Google.
The initiative will offer two courses of study – certification courses for people seeking to enter tech careers, and courses in tech for business owners. Students will be grouped into learning cohorts, enabling the EDC to train more people, faster.
Proposed Tech Career Development Courses
Certification will be provided by various entities including Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning, and Coursera.
Courses will be presented online, on-demand, and students will work in groups and be assisted by a mentor. Students will gain added value by helping to teach or mentor local businesses in our business courses. Courses will be offered free, or with a small registration fee.
Courses under consideration include:
Python
JavaScript
HTML/CSS
Java
SQL
C#
Swift
Web Design
GIS
and more!
Proposed Business Courses
The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that many of our business owners desperately lack critically needed computer, web, mobile and other skills to operate their businesses.
The EDC will launch several business courses to respond to this need. Students will work online in groups with an assigned mentor. Courses under consideration include:
Cybersecurity for Business
Business skills for Employees
Google Workspace
Microsoft Office
Canva
and more!
This initiative builds on our work with business support programs, the Knowledge Worker Network, and the Trades Training Initiative.
Introduction
The Tech Training Accelerator Initiative endeavors to train local workers into high-wage, skilled tech jobs, as well as provide local business owners with tech skills that have become necessary as business operations move online. Click to continue reading.
Introduction
This initiative seeks to train islanders into very high-wage tech careers, either to support local businesses and residents in the San Juan Islands, or to telework with mainland businesses.
High tech jobs offer wages that enable workers to enjoy a comfortable livelihood, and the COVID shutdowns demonstrated that many high-tech jobs can be done from our county, thanks to investments made in broadband infrastructure.
While the average hourly wage for service jobs in San Juan County is around $18 per hour, trained tech jobs – even many entry-level jobs – offer wages far above that. For example, average entry-level salary without benefits for a Java developer is around $80,499, or $38.70/hour (data: ZipRecruiter.com).
And training in many cases can be obtained within a few months, often at little to no cost, as some training is offered freely by organizations like Codecademy and employers like Google.
The initiative will offer two courses of study – certification courses for people seeking to enter tech careers, and courses in tech for business owners. Students will be grouped into learning cohorts, enabling the EDC to train more people, faster.
Proposed Tech Career Development Courses
Certification will be provided by various entities including Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning and Coursera.
Courses will be presented online, on-demand, and students will work in groups and be assisted by a mentor. Students will gain added value by helping to teach or mentor local businesses in our business courses. Courses will be offered free, with small registration fee.
Courses under consideration include:
Python
JavaScript
HTML/CSS
Java
SQL
C#
Go (Golang)
Swift
and others.
Proposed Business Courses
The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that many of our business owners desperately lack critically needed computer, web, mobile and other skills to operate their businesses.
The EDC will launch several business courses to respond to this need. Students will work online in groups with an assigned mentor. Courses under consideration include:
Cybersecurity for Business
Business skills for Employees
Google Workspace
Microsoft Office
Canva
and others.
This initiative builds on our work with business support programs, the Knowledge Worker Network, and the Trades Training Initiative.
Upcoming Courses
More tech courses coming soon!
Keep up to date on future opportunities by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Facebook!
Past Courses and Webinars
Geographic Information Systems
The Economic Development Council (EDC) of San Juan County will facilitate a GIS learning cohort this winter, as part of their Tech Training Accelerator Initiative.
This learning cohort will follow the upcoming Esri course, Going Places with Spatial Analysis. This course will help participants gain a deeper understanding of spatial data analysis and the important role location plays in a variety of business and policy matters. The course will be offered online through Esri, and a cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, working through the course materials on their own schedules.
In this course, students will learn how to identify and describe uses of several spatial analysis techniques, while gaining hands-on experience with authentic spatial analysis workflows in a cloud-based mapping environment. The assignments will use ArcGIS Online, which will be provided by Esri for the duration of the course.
Familiarity with data analysis and GIS software may be helpful but is not required.
This low-cost learning cohort is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older, who are looking to enter careers in GIS. The course will be broken into weekly sections that can be completed on one’s own schedule, averaging 3-4 hours per week. The EDC will host weekly advisory meetings via Zoom, on Thursdays at 12:00 pm, for the entirety of the course’s duration from January 24 to March 6, 2024. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group, discuss course material, and ask questions. Participants who finish the course within the six-week timeframe will earn a certificate of completion from Esri.
Details: Esri GIS course will run from January 24 to March 6, 2024. Learning Cohort is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older. A $30 registration fee is required.
Introduction to HTML
Are you interested in kicking off your computer coding journey? Need some basic skills to fix up your business’ website? HTML is the starting point for all of your web development dreams!
The EDC will facilitate an HTML learning cohort this fall, as part of our Tech Training Accelerator Initiative. The course is online and self-paced, with weekly group check-ins that can easily fit into a lunch break!
The upcoming course will present an introduction to HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the most fundamental tool of web development. The course will be offered online through Udemy, and a cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, working through the course materials on their own schedules.
In this course, students will learn all the essential HTML elements and tags, including how to work with text elements, links, images, audio, video, tables, forms, and semantic elements. The curriculum is hands on, and students will complete several small assignments along the way. This is an introductory level course and no prior knowledge of HTML is necessary, although students should already possess basic computer skills. Access to a laptop or desktop computer is required in order to complete the course material. This low-cost course is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older, who are interested in learning HTML as the first step in a web development career journey or for other paying work.
The course will be broken into weekly assignments that can be completed on one’s own schedule, averaging 2 hours per week. The EDC will host mandatory advisory meetings via Zoom on Thursdays at 12:00 p.m., from November 30 to December 21, 2023. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group, discuss course material, and ask questions.
Application deadline is November 22.
Details: HTML course will run from November 30 to December 21, 2023. A $30 registration fee is required.
Introduction to HTML
The Economic Development Council (EDC) of San Juan County will facilitate an HTML learning cohort this May, as part of their Tech Training Accelerator Initiative.
The upcoming course will present an introduction to HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the most fundamental tool of web development. The course will be offered online through Udemy, and a cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, working through the course materials on their own schedules.
In this course, students will learn all the essential HTML elements and tags, including how to work with text elements, links, images, audio, video, tables, forms, and semantic elements. The curriculum is hands on, and students will complete several small assignments along the way. This is an introductory level course and no prior knowledge of HTML is necessary, although students should already possess basic computer skills. This low-cost course is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older, who are interested in learning HTML as the first step in a web development career journey or for other paying work.
The course will be broken into weekly assignments that can be completed on one’s own schedule, averaging 2 hours per week. The EDC will host advisory meetings via Zoom on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m., from May 9 to May 30, 2023. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group, discuss course material, and ask questions.
Details: HTML course will run from May 9 through May 30, 2023. A $30 registration fee is required.
Geographic Information Systems
Learn GIS with Esri and the EDC!
This winter, the EDC will facilitate a GIS learning cohort to follow the upcoming Esri course, Going Places with Spatial Analysis. This course will help participants gain a deeper understanding of spatial data analysis and the important role location plays in a variety of business and policy matters. The course will be offered online through Esri, and a cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, working through the course materials on their own schedules.
In this course, students will learn how to identify and describe uses of several spatial analysis techniques, while gaining hands-on experience with authentic spatial analysis workflows in a cloud-based mapping environment. The assignments will use ArcGIS Online, which will be provided for the duration of the course. This low-cost course is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older, who are looking to enter careers in GIS.
Familiarity with data analysis and GIS software will be helpful but is not required.
The course will be broken into weekly sections that can be completed on one’s own schedule, averaging 3-4 hours per week. The EDC will host weekly advisory meetings via Zoom, on Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am, from February 1 to March 15, 2023. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group, discuss course material, and ask questions. Participants who finish the course within the six-week timeframe will earn a certificate of completion from Esri.
Details: GIS course will run from February 1 to March 15, 2023. Open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older. A $50 registration fee is required.
Bookkeeping and Accounting Basics
Islanders interested in a career in Bookkeeping or Accounting are invited to join an introductory class offered by the EDC. Karol McLuen, CPA, will lead a course in late February and early March, on selected Saturdays.
This course is intended to help people gain job skills and obtain economic stability. The course will focus on bookkeeping principles such as balance sheets, profit and loss statements, ledger entries, and includes an introduction to accounting software.
These skills are foundational for those seeking to understand bookkeeping and accounting and a first step in becoming a certified accountant. Practical application exercises will accompany the concepts and practices discussed in class.
The program is free except for a $50.00 registration fee, and is open only to San Juan County residents, age 18 and over, who plan to use bookkeeping and accounting skills for paying work. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate that the course will help them enter a new career or seek employment. Enrollment is capped at 10 students.
The course will take place in Friday Harbor on the following Saturdays: February 25, March 11, and March 25, 2023, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.
Celebrate GIS Day with the EDC!
Join the EDC for an evening of education and intrigue as we explore some of the many uses of Geographic Information Systems. This GIS Day, we will hear from local GIS professional, John Aschoff, about what got him interested in GIS and how he uses it for marine conservation work.
The EDC is planning on facilitating an Introduction to GIS course in 2023 and we want to know who is interested! It’s a useful job skill that is highly desired for various positions throughout San Juan County.
This event is FREE for all ages. Attendees will receive a coupon code for a FREE year-long Premium subscription to Esri’s StoryMaps tool!
If you missed it, a recording of the event is available on the EDC’s YouTube channel!
This event is made possible by Esri and by the sponsors of the EDC’s Tech Training Accelerator Initiative, including the Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan County, and the Raynier Institute. Thank you!
Web Design: UX/UI, Figma, and Webflow
Learn how to design and build beautiful websites!
The EDC will be facilitating a Web Design learning cohort this fall, as part of our Tech Training Accelerator Initiative.
The upcoming course, offered through Udemy, will present an introduction to the skills needed for a career as a web designer. A cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, while working through the course materials on their own schedules.
In this course, you will learn the latest best practices in web design and UX/UI. It introduces in-demand tools like Figma and Webflow to show a full website development workflow from start to finish, efficiently getting you from zero to a point where you can get hired or win freelance contracts. The curriculum is very hands on, and students will complete over a dozen small assignments along the way. This low-cost course is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 18 and older, who are looking to enter careers in the web design field or supplement their income with freelance web design work.
This is not a coding course. Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS may be helpful, but is not required.
The course will be broken into weekly assignments that can be completed on one’s own schedule, averaging 5 hours per week. The EDC will host advisory meetings via Zoom on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m., from September 20 to November 1, 2022. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group, discuss course material, and ask questions.
Details: Web design course will run from September 20 through November 1, 2022. A $30 registration fee is required. Only 12 spots available!
Youth Web Development Course: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more!
This upcoming course will be an introduction to the programming skills needed for a career as a software developer, beginning in late July of this year. The course will be offered online through LinkedIn Learning, and a cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, working on their own schedules.
In this free course, students will gain a broad perspective on core technologies for web development, software development, and databases. It introduces common programming tools such as HTML, CSS, Python, and JavaScript, and discusses the bigger picture of how development careers work. Instruction is open to participants from San Juan County, ages 13-17, who are looking to enter careers in the web development field.
The course is broken into weekly assignments that can be completed on one’s own schedule, averaging 4-8 hours per week. The EDC will host advisory meetings via Zoom on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m., from July 26 to August 23, 2022. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group, discuss course material, and ask questions.
Details: Youth software development course will run from July 26 through August 23, 2022.
Intro to Web Development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
The first tech training course offered will be in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, launching in June of this year. The course will be offered online through Johns Hopkins University, and a cohort of students will meet each week with an EDC advisor to achieve successful benchmarks, working on their own schedules.
In the course, participants will work from the ground up, learning the basics of modern web pages with HTML and CSS. By the end of the course, students will utilize JavaScript to build a fully functional web application. Instruction is open to participants from San Juan County over 18 years old who are looking to enter careers in the web development field.
The course is broken into weekly assignments that can be completed on one’s own schedule. The EDC will host advisory meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., from June 14 to July 21, 2022, via Zoom. These meetings will give participants the opportunity to work through course assignments as a group, ask questions, and discuss course materials. The EDC will cover all course costs, apart from a required $50 application fee.
Details: HTML/CSS/JavaScript course will run from June 14 through July 21, 2022.
Thank you to our funders!
The EDC thanks its partners in the Tech Accelerator Training Initiative:
The Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan County, the Raynier Institute, and San Juan Island Community Foundation.
Thank you for helping us change lives!