Inter-Organizational Network for Workforce Development

Pattern number within this pattern set: 
355
Jim Brazell
Ic2.org
Doug Monroe
Alamo Community College District, ITSA and AAAA
Problem: 

San Antonio and Bexar County are an emerging Technopolis requiring a highly skilled and educated workforce. The annual wage for residents of the Alamo Workforce Development Board region is about 20% of the national average with 44% of the residents reporting household income below the poverty level. In addition 31% of adults in this region have not attained a high school diploma. Although the prediction for job availability is good, almost two-thirds of the projected growth will be in occupations that require at least a college degree. Simply put, Bexar County must:

1) increase the number of students that graduate from high schools, technical colleges and/or universities;
2) increase the relevance of student knowledge, skills and abilities to available knowledge industry needs; and,
3) create momentum for participation among minority and disadvantaged households.

Context: 

San Antonio, Texas is located in the Alamo Workforce Development Board Region, which includes twelve counties and spans 11,350 square miles. The Region includes a population of 1,637,894 persons with a majority of the population being of Hispanic origin. The city of San Antonio located in this region contributes 1,392,931 to the population and 54.3% of the population is of Hispanic origin (2000 US Census).

The San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) is a targeted economic development initiative committed to growing the regional technology economy and developing opportunities for San Antonians. SATAI has selected Information Technology as one of the four regional areas of strength. Furthermore, San Antonio has a historical strength in information technology security and infrastructure assurance.

Discussion: 

Cybersecurity is a significant area of development in the San Antonio economy. San Antonio is home to the Air Intelligence Agency (AIA), the Joint Information
Operations Center, Air Force Information Warfare Center, and the Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team (AFCERT). Many computer and telecommunications security companies serving worldwide customers (e.g., SBC Global Communications) are based in San Antonio. UTSA, in partnership with AIA, has established the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security and is supported through a $2.5 million dollar congressional appropriation.

In order to further support the development of an IT Security cluster and to enhance the quality of life for San Antonio citizens the Information Technology and Security Academy is created to:

1) provide a opportunties for local high school students to gain knowledge, skills applicable in the job market;

2) incent students to remain in high school through graduation while gaining college credit;

3) provide a student and workforce pipeline to local industry, technical colleges and higher education; and,

4) foster knowledge, skills and abilities to safeguard community, corporate, government, and military infrastructure from cyber attack.

In this regard, ITSA has created a novel partnership involving education, industry, non-profits, city/county government and the military. In August of 2003, the seventy-eighth Texas Legislature recognized the ITSA and the Alamo Aerospace Academy (AAAA) as model Texas workforce programs.

The author submits this pattern with the intent of recognizing a new model of CIVIC partnership that is inclusive of the military. This partnership may be useful to military other communities who want to foster the development of infrastructure assurance and community cyber safety. This military-community model may also indicate increased input and collaboration for military technology transfer to industry and the community at large.

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Inter-Organizational Network for Sustainable Workforce Development and Community Cyber Security
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EDUCATION
18 Bexar County school districts, the Alamo Community College District (ACCD) and the the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

INDUSTRY
SecureLogix Corporation, Veridian, Inc., Digital Defense, Inc., Diligent Consulting, Inc., Rackspace Managed Hosting, Karta Technologies, Tesoro Petroleum Company, SecureInfo Corporation, Symantec Corporation, Onboard Software, Inc., Paladin IT Services, The Web Head Group, CACI, Inc., Denim Group, Ltd., Mitre, ARC Information Assurance Institute, Sytex, Inc., Amerilink San Antonio, IS_Systems, and VentureRAMP, Inc

NON-PROFIT/CIVIC
the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, Greater Kelly Development Authority (KellyUSA), the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI), United Way, and the UTSA Archive, AFCEA, and ISSA – Alamo Chapter.

CITY and COUNTY GOVERNMENT
City of San Antonio, Bexar County and the Alamo Workforce Development Board.

MILITARY
Air Intelligence Agency and the 433rd Airlift Wing.

The San Antonio inter-organizational network that supports ITSA crosses industry, academic, military, government and civic organizations in order to foster a culture of innovation, economic development and a community of practice realted to community cyber safety, increased minority participation and workforce development.

Solution: 

ITSA includes a paid summer internship between the junior and senior year, transportation to and from the Academy and all course textbooks. Academy students spend a ½ day at their home campus and a ½ day at one of two Academy locations. The ITSA program is available to students from any of the Bexar County area school districts. ITSA applicants must be rising high school sophomores (Juniors 2003-2004) with a B average. Applicants must have previously completed the academic requirements for junior class standing including Geometry and Algebra. Articulation agreements with local universities are in process and the ITSA model is designed as a High School to PhD program to meet the needs of local information technology security firms.

NEW HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE DEGREE PROGRAM
-TWO YEAR PROGRAM IN THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
-DUAL CREDIT
-STUDENTS RECEIVE BOTH HIGH SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY ELECTIVES AND
-UP TO 30 SEMESTER HOURS OF COLLEGE CREDIT DEPENDING ON THE PROGRAM

STUDENT ORIENTATION
-TOURS OF LOCAL INDUSTRY OPERATIONS
-GUEST SPEAKERS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM
-PAID INTERNSHIP BETWEEN THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR
-DIGITAL COMMUNITY SERVICE INTERNSHIPS
-HANDS ON CURRICULUM AND TRAINING
-TWO YEAR CERTIFICATE

EXIT POINTS IN THE PROGRAM
Students who graduate from ITSA have an open pathway to UTSA’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS). In the Fall of 2003, UTSA will offer an undergraduate degree in Infrastructure Assurance and Security. UTSA also has Masters and PhD. Degrees in development for Infrastructure Assurance and Security.

-GRADUATES EMPLOYED BY INDUSTRY
-CONTINUE WITH ACCD TO EARN ASSOCIATES
-PURSUE FOUR YEAR DEGREE
-ENTREPRENEURIAL PURSUITS

Pattern status: 
Released