Dive Brief:

• To help workers train and upskill for the tech industry, Steve Wozniak's Woz U is piloting a program with Career Circle, Allegis Group announced. The university's web development, cyber and data science programs will be offered through self-paced online courses and instructor-led classes in four cities: Baltimore; Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Chicago. Set for full rollout in 2019, additional courses and skills may be added.
• The goal is to upskill job seekers and employees for the tech skills that are in high demand. Strengthening the skill sets of candidates as the workplace continues to shift to digital is a must for businesses to remain competitive and for job seekers to remain employable.
• The pilot program will be analyzed to validate metrics and identify opportunities to expand for skills that are in high demand, Allegis said.

Dive Insight:

As the co-founder of Apple, Wozniak opened Woz U with online courses and plans to expand to campuses in more than 30 cities in the U.S. Demand for digitally fluent workers continues to rise as supply of these workers dwindles; a recent survey found more than nine out of 10 businesses say they have a need for more employees with technical skills, even as almost two-thirds believe they will be harder to find.

At its one year anniversary, Woz U's president told CIO Dive the platform is connecting adult learners with the training they need to upskill. The majority of their students were between 25-35, most with a current degree, who are looking to branch out into a second career or upskill for their current jobs.

Many businesses hurting for technology-inclined workers have partnered with governments, schools, nonprofits and other institutions to open opportunities for learners in tech careers. The current skills gap is not only challenging businesses to reach current employee needs, but it also threatens to stifle future growth across a wealth of industries if a reliable applicant stream can't be created.