Engaged IT Experience Course to Enable the Future Workforce

Computer Science (CS) and Information Technology (IT) education needs to find new ways to boost students' interest in selecting and completing undergraduate degrees in these disciplines. In addition to retaining them in the major, we need to equip them with the right skills and knowledge so they are workforce ready when they graduate. In this paper, the authors present a novel learning model in IT, The IT Experience Course. Through a unique partnership with the IT department, the course leverages both traditional classroom teaching methodology and internships to form a new style of engaged learning. Engaged learning allows students to participate in real-life activities through collaboration, exploration, and discovery with peers. The course has three components, learning, shadowing/training, and a real world IT experiential project. The three components give the students a better understanding of the diversity of the field of IT, an insight into different career paths, and the confidence to see themselves working in the field through mentorship. The IT Experience Course, can be replicated at institutions across the country since most institutes of higher learning have an IT department, potentially increasing the future IT-capable workforce.