The vision is simple. Create an IT Community/Training Center in a place that desperately needs one. Hold classes to get people certified in MS technologies (as well as Java and Linux). Provide a library and lifetime learning resource. A bridge to industry. Then mid to long term, have the center partner with local government, business and university to have the newly certified people work on projects under the direction of project managers at the center. The center can be a software and networking resource for the local industry and government. We would like to produce professional “white collar” workers in an economy that needs them, but also partner with the local industry to more easily place these newly trained people on projects.

The Al-Quds Open University has offered PIT the opportunity to use their lab free of charge for this beginning phase. The PIT curriculum would differ from the typical University Computer Science department courses as it would seek industry leaders to teach the courses with the goal of the courses to be industry certification and lifelong learning. We have four workshops under way. The first one is an Excel class to get started. It is in progress this week!