KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jeff Barratt can’t quite explained it, but he says baristas make great coders.
As the CEO of Skilled KC Technical Institute, Barratt hopes to help more baristas learn those software development skills.
Barratt will launch a new vocational, post-secondary educational program this September in Kansas City, Missouri.
Skilled KC was born through conversations with the Kauffman Foundation and stakeholders in the local economy.
The program will help adults earn certifications in one of three areas in about five months through a full time class load. The program will focus on software development, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing.
As a man who’s spent his career in education, Barratt’s looking forward to being able to start a new program from scratch in order to make sure it best serves the students and employers who will hire them.
“Instead of looking at retirement in nine years, I’m looking at how do we serve 8,000 students in 10 years from the Skilled KC model,” Barratt admitted. “So I’m really reenergized and I know my team is as well.”
The Kauffman Foundation will cover the tuition for all students in the first session.
For information on how to get enrolled, click here.
If you’re looking to find a new career because of the COVID-19 pandemic, here’s advice on how to choose the right vocational program:
- Choose a career which interests you.
- Choose a career which is in demand in your area. Skilled KC says, for example, there are thousands of cyber security-related job openings in the region right now.
- Compare costs, job placement rates, and length of programs to find the right fit.