S-One Offers IT Mentoring to Help Shortage of Local Talent
S-One Holdings Corporation, a global company headquartered in Sarasota with a focus on the digital imaging industry, proudly announces its mentorship partnership with State College of Florida (SCF), Manatee-Sarasota, in developing local IT talent to meet the demand from area businesses. Student web applications will be showcased on Software Engineering Demo Day on Saturday, August 20.
“S-One is committed to bridging the gap so that area students are given more opportunities to sharpen their digital skills for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” said S-One Co-Founder Art Lambert. “Our IT team has been mentoring coding students at State College of Florida to empower them with real-world knowledge and skills to help them become more competitive in the workforce.”
The S-One mentoring program is coupled with the software engineering bootcamp offered through the SCF Coding Academy.
“Our goals are to boldly lead our community with opportunities for experiential learning, expose students to leading workforce industries and expand their network of local professionals and leaders,” said SCF President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld.
The mentoring program gives students a vision of what the IT workforce looks like from professionals who have worked in the industry for over 20 years. Mentorships elevate students’ software development skills and guide them as they move out of training and launch their job search.
“It’s huge being able to have someone in the industry to lean on and learn from,” stated Janelle Piersoll, Vice President of IT, S-One. “Students get the chance to share their ideas during the mentoring sessions, collaborate, and get questions answered from our IT team members.”
Piersoll has conducted hundreds of interviews for S-One and presented interview tips to the bootcamp students during the Coding Academy speakers’ series.
“Learning what the industry looks for in candidates as well their portfolios is absolutely illuminating,” shared Darrian Bagley, a full-time student in the program. “Also learning what the pitfalls are that some candidates fall into like having too narrow of a focus in their portfolios.”
Bagley says he learned the importance of having experience in different technologies.
“Thanks to this program I will have more success in my job search,” he added.
Another student, Emily DeHaan, masters a juggling act of motherhood, a full-time job and the Coding Academy bootcamp.
“I want to do things that have more impact on my family and career,” DeHaan states. “I would like to design apps for users to make their lives easier, and something that benefits nonprofits.”
Bridging the gap of women employed in technology is also important to DeHaan. She is the only woman in the inaugural coding bootcamp and is mentored by a female senior software engineer at S-One.
“My mentor, Jaime Hummel, gives me a different perspective as a coder, software engineer, and woman in the industry,” DeHaan added. “I think it’s really great to have the perspective of what I’m going through, what to expect in this career choice, interviews, and tips to help me be successful in this field.”
Desh Bagley, IT/Coding Academy Director, shares that the mentoring program empowers students with confidence to make a fresh start and embraces individuals seeking a first-time job in IT or those wanting a career change. The software engineering course is offered in the evening and on Saturdays to accommodate work schedules.
“The fact that SCF has a non-traditional educational route for information technology makes me proud. Our partnership with S-One gives students opportunities that they may not have,” she stated. “If you’re a person seeking a career change to make a difference for yourself, your family, and your future, we help you do so with industry partners like S-One.”
IT Coding Academy students will demo their digital projects on Saturday, August 20. To learn more about SCF Coding Academy bootcamps and training courses, please visit http://coding.scf.edu
Photo: Courtesy of State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota
Software Engineering Bootcamp
What:
10- 11:15 am-Students demo their web applications
11:45 am Keynote- Janelle Piersoll, Vice President of IT, S-One
When: Saturday, August 20, 10 am- 12:30 pm
State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota
5840 26 Street West
Building 8, 26 West, SCF Center of Advanced Technology and Innovation
Bradenton, FL
About S-One Holdings Corporation
S-One Holdings Corporation is a pioneer in the digital imaging industry and has emblazoned innovation since 1994. Designed from its inception, S-One was structured to partner with major brands and manufacturers who need advanced marketing, an integrated and flexible supply chain, and technical sales capabilities to directly reach the end user and bypass the traditional distributor/dealer methodology. The company is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida.
About State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota
SCF is the region’s first and largest public state college, serving 11,000 college credit students annually at campuses in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice, and via online courses. Thousands of additional students participate in non-credit workforce development courses, lifelong learning opportunities, and the college’s Traffic Safety Institute. For more information about SCF and its associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, or workforce certificates, visit SCF.edu.
