Indianapolis, Ind. — Ivy Tech Community College today announced it received the 2024 Community Impact Award at the 25th annual TechPoint Mira Awards gala on April 26. Ivy Tech was recognized for the Ivy+ IT Academy, a program that fills a crucial gap in Indiana's rapidly expanding tech sector by providing accelerated IT training to Indiana residents.
In partnership with Google and Jobs for the Future, the Ivy+ IT Academy enrolled more than 2,600 Hoosiers in free Google Career Certificates in cybersecurity, IT support, digital marketing, project management, data analytics and UX design. Following this success, the Academy piloted two CompTIA A+ certification courses in partnership with Ivy Tech’s Muncie campus and saw a 100% pass rate. The Ivy+ IT Academy will launch new courses in CompTIA A+, IT fundamentals, agile/scrum, artificial intelligence and more across the state this fall. Curriculum is aligned to the workforce needs of leading tech employers such as Google, Salesforce and Microsoft.
“Ivy Tech understood that for Indiana to truly become the Silicon Heartland, we needed to scale and accelerate the number of Hoosiers receiving flexible and market-relevant IT skills training,” said Matthew Etchison, senior vice president and chief information officer, Ivy Tech. “With plans for continuous expansion and the introduction of new training programs, the Ivy+ IT Academy is quickly becoming a cornerstone in Indiana's tech education landscape, empowering individuals and fueling the state's economic growth. Aligned with Ivy Tech’s mission to have education and skills training available to all Hoosiers, the Ivy+ IT Academy was created to allow our fellow citizens an easily accessible, affordable, and available IT skills training option that just did not exist before.”
Aligned with Ivy Tech’s mission to have education and skills training available to all Hoosiers, the Ivy+ IT Academy was created to allow our fellow citizens an easily accessible, affordable, and available IT skills training option that just did not exist before.
– Matthew Etchison, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Ivy Tech
The awards gala was presented by TechPoint, Indiana’s industry-led growth initiative for the state's digital innovation economy, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Salesforce and a host of the state’s most innovative companies, universities and organizations.
The Community Impact Award recognizes the contributions of mission-driven organizations that have helped propel the state’s tech community forward while creating a brighter, more equitable future for everyone. The Mira judges were impressed with the Ivy+ IT Academy’s emphasis on reaching underserved demographic groups: 55 percent of graduates identify as Asian, Black, or Latino, and 71 percent of interest in the program came from women.
“Ivy Tech’s initiative also stands out for its comprehensive career support, connecting graduates with an employer group of over 150 companies,” the judges said.
Winners in 18 award categories were chosen by a rigorous process that included 50 Mira Awards judges who winnowed applications to finalists, who presented their cases in March. The Mira Awards are the state’s largest, best known and most prestigious technology awards. The annual gala celebrates the “Best of Tech” in Indiana. Judging panels were comprised of founders, executives, community leaders and subject matter experts for the TechPoint Innovation and Talent categories. Seven other awards were awards after deliberations by additional expert panels.
For more information, photos and information, visit: www.miraawards.com.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
