Title: Information Technology Training and Employment Program for Rural Communities Presented by Mel Ustad
1Information Technology Training and Employment
Program for Rural CommunitiesPresented byMel
Ustad Associate Dean of Research University of
South Dakota
- Strengthening Building Partnerships for
Workforce Development - March 5, 2003
- Orlando, Florida
2Rural Information Technology Employment (RITE)
Link
- National Science Foundation Information
Technology Research/Workforce Development Project - Objective
- Develop and test a model IT education/training/eco
nomic development program for rural communities
utilizing distance education and
telecommunications technologies for education and
employment of IT workers.
3Project Partners
- University of South Dakota
- Sitting Bull Community College
- Consortium of K-12 Schools
- IT Businesses Entrepreneurs
- Economic Development Organizations
- University Researchers Technology
Entrepreneurships Programs
4RITE Link Process
- Recruit rural communities participants-Six
rural communities over 700 participants - Create community IT profile
- Screen participants-150 participants
- Provide IT training to selected participants
- Recruit IT business partners
- IT business partner employs IT training
participant
5Findings
- Rural community interest is high.
- Existing education and IT skill level of 700
rural residents interested in the program was
high. (70 Post Secondary Ed) - 81 of the 150 training participants have post
secondary education. - 77 of IT training participants are female.
6Findings Continued
- Infrastructure is adequate in most rural Midwest
communities. - With the tech sector slowdown large IT business
interest has declined remote employees but
outsource more work. - The business focus has sifted to entrepreneurial
development and alternative partners, smaller IT
companies. - Facilitating a change in the IT business culture
and structure is difficult.
7New Initiatives
- RITE Team AssociationOrganized by participants
to market IT skills. - Non-Profit Membership organization RITE Link
Participants - Communities interested in IT based economic
development.
8 RITE Resource, Inc. (RRI)Something Was Still
Missing
- The RITE-Team Association to date has had limited
success. - It is apparent that several key elements are
missing from their efforts - A full-time sales and marketing effort to win
large scale consulting bids and build business
partner relationships - People to form and manage the project teams
delivering the consulting services - The infrastructure necessary to support these
teams whose members may be distributed in rural
areas
9RITE Resource, Inc. (RRI)Our Mission
- Provide clients world-class e-Business
consulting, application development and hosting
services - Provide employment and consulting opportunities
for USD, DSU and RITE-Link program graduates - Provide higher-paying jobs for these individuals
who chose to live in rural communities - Provide solid earnings to our shareholders while
being a good corporate citizen
10RITE Resource, Inc. (RRI)Target Markets
- RRI will go to where the business is
- Initial markets of Sioux Falls, Sioux City
Omaha have a population base of 1.5 million.
RRI must prove its model in these markets in its
first year - Then we can expand to markets within a one-day
drive including Kansas City, Davenport, Des
Moines, Minneapolis (5.5 million people) - Then to markets within a two-day drive including
Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Denver
and Colorado Springs (16.5 million)
11RITE Resource, Inc. (RRI)Services Offered
- Software application development for e-Business
using Java - Architecture, design and business analysis
- Project management services
- Web-based application hosting services
- Quality Assurance testing services
- Telephone customer support services
12RITE Resource, Inc. (RRI)Funding Needed
- RRI stock allocated to three groups
- RRI Management employees (40),
- reserved for future needs (20)
- initial investors including USD, RITE-Team
Association and five communities (40) - GOED Future Fund grant dollars match community
investments. - Existing facilities used in many communities.
- Low infrastructure costs.
13University Research and Technology Entrepreneurs
- N2TEC partnership links university research and
technology entrepreneurs to rural communities to
identify and explore IT and technology based
opportunities. - Internet based venture presentations by
technology entrepreneurs - Expose rural communities to technology based
entrepreneurship - Provides university based technology
entrepreneurs to additional funding and support
opportunities.
14Unique Features of Project
- Communities collaborating rather than competing.
- Large research universities involved in rural
development efforts. - Entrepreneurial Economic Development
- Communities universities have equity
- Employees have equity
- Focus on building 21st century technology high
paying jobs rather than attracting 20th century
declining industries - Focus on quality of life in rural communities
-
15K-12 Project Activities
- TechTownIT use and career exploration website
lesson plans for elementary school students - CyberSpace CampInternet based summer and after
school program that allows students to explore IT
advances, their community and IT entrepreneurship
opportunities.
16Additional Information
- Mel Ustad
- Principal Investigator
- Associate Dean of Research
- University of South Dakota
- Vermillion, SD 57069
- 605-677-5370
- Gustad_at_usd.edu
- Project Website www.ritelink.dsu.edu