The Mill, gener8tor and Ivy Tech Partner for Rapid Reskilling in Bloomington

Program Uses Cohort Model for Job Seeker Training, Support and Placement

Local entrepreneurship and co-working center The Mill, nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor, and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system, Ivy Tech, announced today a program to help individuals get new digital skills in IT administration. This partnership builds on The Mill and gener8tor’s partnership called The Mill Code School, a gener8tor program.

Funded in part through a $100,000 investment by the City of Bloomington, the Mill Code School is currently accepting applications from Indiana residents. The program is focused on quickly getting people into jobs in the digital economy, and is tailored to individuals seeking to develop new skills or become proficient in a variety of in-demand technologies and programs associated with IT. Program participants do not need any prior experience or degrees. gener8tor team members will guide participants through the IT Administrator learning modules that are available at no cost via the LinkedIn Learning platform. The deadline to apply is May 5, and the course runs from May 10 through July 16.

The modules associated with the IT Administrator prepare participants to take the CompTIA Network + certification. Coursework covers skills to become a certified Network + administrator, including essential networking concepts, techniques to manage and administer network infrastructure, and preparation for the N10-007 exam. Participants may select to take the CompTIA Network + exam; those who pass can earn Ivy Tech credits to start a full academic pathway. Additionally, participants will earn LinkedIn Certifications in diversity, inclusion, and belonging and professional soft skills.

This 10-week, cohort-based program will include:

• Self-paced virtual curriculum from Microsoft and LinkedIn to learn skills for positions such as IT Administrator and earn industry-recognized certifications;
• One-on-one concierge support from the gener8tor team on the skills content, plus career coaching on resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile creation and interviewing;
• Technical support and mentoring from Ivy Tech faculty and professional staff;
• Virtual access to a network of peers for support and community;
• Access to The Mill’s coworking space and community-wide tech network during the program;
• Opportunity to earn LinkedIn certifications, gener8tor Upskilling certification and industry-recognized CompTIA Network + certification;
• And interviews with companies ready to hire candidates with skills taught during the program.

Through this partnership, participants will have the ability to leverage the resources of these organizations to find a living-wage job in our community. The final week of the program includes an “interview swarm” where participants will use their new technical and job-seeking skills to impress hiring companies during a speed-dating-style facilitated meet-up.

Those interested in learning more can visit gener8torupskilling.com/mill-code-school. Program participants do not need any prior experience or degrees. Eligible participants do not need to pay any fee if they meet the following criteria:

• Indiana residents
• Have a high school diploma or GED/High School Equivalency
• Have not previously received an associate degree or higher (bachelors, masters, etc.)
• Have not previously used Next Level Jobs funding (if you have a question about this, please email bloomington-workforcetraining@ivytech.edu)

“We are excited to be expanding the programming for The Mill Code School to include IT Administrator. This program has transformative potential for struggling individuals, families, and Monroe County’s economy,” said Pat East, Executive Director of The Mill. “Earning industry-recognized certifications and credits toward an academic pathway at Ivy Tech provides an additional benefit and access to high-paying jobs in high demand. Over 3.9 million IT Administrator jobs were posted on LinkedIn in 2020. Pivoting our skill building and learning to reflect the market is imperative to our community lifting itself out of economic uncertainty. The Code School is just one component of our commitment to supporting a sustainable, equitable future for Bloomington.”

“Partnering with The Mill and gener8tor to engage un- and underemployed or traditionally underrepresented in the digital economy, get skills and help to move into tech careers was a no-brainer,” said Chancellor Jennie Vaughan. “The last year has proven IT and digitally enabled careers will be more and more important in our community. We look forward to contributing our piece to make this a success.”

“gener8tor focuses on helping communities invest in themselves in projects just like this,” said Joe Kirgues, Co-Founder and Partner of gener8tor. “Mayor Hamilton’s commitment to helping provide traditionally underrepresented individuals a career pathway in technology based on market need is forward thinking. gener8tor’s Upskilling program is excited to use the Microsoft global skills initiative in partnership with The Mill and Ivy Tech to help participants grow their skills, earn industry-recognized certificates and find higher paying jobs.”