With already more than 600 students, CCTC is striving to build the bridge between education and information technology (IT) workforce needs. Whether you are considering a new career, planning to return to the workplace, interested in promotion in an IT career or increasing your employment opportunities, CCTC offers programs to prepare for the next steps. Even if you have already earned a degree in technology, CCTC can supplement theoretical study with practical technology certification.

CCTC's new state-of-the-art, 18,500-square-foot facility, located just off the Baltimore Beltway, offers such programs and services as A+ certification, Network+, i-Net+ certification, MCSE, Cisco CCNA, Oracle OCP and the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) program. CCTC also hosts a series of career fairs to give students an opportunity to interview with employers from the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area.

"The programs at CCTC are invaluable to career changers," says CEO Kendzierski. A recent national ITAA workforce study indicated that employers consider technology certification equivalent to a degree in terms of validating readiness for a job. "Employers want to see some form of demonstrated performance, which is either experience or a credential," says Kendzierski. "The certification validates that someone is functional within a very specific vocational track."

Kendzierski, also an associate vice provost of UMBC's Division of Professional Education and Training, spent many years as a student at the university and believes in the vision that has positioned UMBC as a national leader in technology education. "UMBC's strategy of rooting its efforts in industry-engagement is a primary factor in the institution's success," says Kendzierski. "The CCTC exemplifies what will become the natural evolution of a successful university continuing education program in the economy of the 21st century."

For more information about CCTC, call (410) 594-CCTC (2282) or visit the CCTC website.