Category Archives: NOVA IET

AFCOM, Career & Leadership Readiness Institute, CLRI, Computer Science, Data Center Operations, Data Centers, Engineering Technology, Internships, Interpersonal Skills, Networking, NOVA IET, NOVA IET Career Pathways, NOVA to Mason, NOVA to Workforce, STEM Careers

NOVA Student to DCO Workforce Spotlight: David Evers

“I feel fortunate to have participated in the Career & Leadership Readiness Institute (CLRI) as part of NOVA’s Information and Engineering Technologies (IET) program. The people I’ve met along the way and the opportunities I’ve been given have been invaluable. I highly endorse NOVA’s IET program.”

David Evers recently graduated from NOVA with an A.S. in Computer Science (CS) and will pursue a 4-year degree in CS starting this fall at George Mason University.

David was interested in technology right from the start. “I remember being young and enjoying the outdoors, but once I came inside, I realized the vast possibilities computers offered. Plus, there’s abundant growth in the computer science field, with promising opportunities on the horizon,” he shared.

Like numerous technology students at NOVA seeking to advance their professional skills, David completed the Career & Leadership Readiness Institute (CLRI). David found the program insightful, valuing personal stories, leadership insights, and career advice from visiting industry professionals. The curriculum emphasized essential soft skills, such as crafting an effective elevator pitch, building a strong personal brand, and developing a strategic resume. Particularly beneficial was guidance from Tom Gerencer from Gerencer Creative on aligning resume keywords with search algorithms.

Beyond academics, David enjoyed CLRI’s social activities, including a kickoff at Stack Infrastructure, networking with industry professionals, a golf tournament, happy hours, and involvement in the Data Center Young Professionals group.

David recommends the CLRI program to his IET peers, praising its effectiveness and positive impact. “It broadened my vantage point—I can see further,” he said. “I appreciated the program’s concise, solid, and meaningful information. I believe it builds the confidence and reassurance necessary for entering the workforce.”

In addition, he acquired hands-on experience in fiber optics and communications technology through his AFCOM internships at National Technologies (NTI) and IES Communications. At NTI, he was involved in fiber optic installations at a Microsoft data center in Leesburg, focusing on both inside and outside plant fiber runs. His experience at IES Communications included shadowing project managers in Chantilly and visiting various sites, such as a CyrusOne data hall and the Gainesville Crossing Data Center, where he learned about structured cabling project management.

Reflecting on his CLRI experience, he expressed gratitude for Andy Chavez, a NOVA IET Career and Technical Education Coordinator, and Sedrick Settle, an IET Career Advisor who organize CLRI. David described them by saying, “Mr. Chavez and Mr. Settle were great mentors throughout the program, approachable, friendly, and gregarious.”

David also singled out STACK Infrastucture VP TJ Ciccone, whom he met during the tour of STACK. “Walking alongside Mr. Ciccone was inspiring. Witnessing the data center’s operations, where servers work in perfect harmony to maintain 100% uptime, felt almost magical.”

David is currently employed at IES Communications at a Wells Fargo data center where he’s working on the fiber optic and CAT 6 structured cabling. He’s enjoying the experience with IES because he’s able to learn more about cabling, systems integration, and team collaboration within data center infrastructure.

His day-to-day work consists of pulling fiber optic/CAT 6 cable, patching fiber to the Corning EDGE cassettes (inside the rack enclosures), and labeling the fiber routes between rack enclosures. He’s learning a lot from his two superintendents, Malik Brokenburr and Jordan Gladney, as well as his project manager, Eric Younts.

His advice to NOVA students is “keep showing up, even if you’re not feeling your best self. When you continuously show up for yourself and for the people on your team, it speaks volumes about your character.”

David also participated in Amideast’s CASE Program in Tunisia with NOVA’s Study Abroad program, where he studied Tunisian post-colonial society, labor and migration, race and colorism, feminism and LGBTQIA communities, and culture.

“It was a wonderful experience where I met some great people in Tunisia as well as American students alongside me studying abroad. I would love for other NOVA students to be future CASE participants.”

Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Internships, Network Engineering, NOVA IET, Student Success, Student to Workforce

NOVA Student Success Spotlight In IET: Muhammed Saleh

“I absolutely recommend NOVA. The professors are amazing, and there are a lot of opportunities here. I’m grateful for NOVA.”
~ Muhammed Saleh

Muhammed Saleh recently completed the Network Engineering Specialist C.S.C. certificate at NOVA and is set to graduate this summer with an associate degree in cybersecurity. His journey has been marked by his active involvement in various initiatives and clubs, particularly the Nighthawks Cloud, NOVA’s IET Cloud Computing Club at the Woodbridge campus.

He joined Nighthawks Cloud last spring and was soon elected as its president. The club, which boasts over 200 members, includes 20 active participants who attend in-person sessions, while others engage online. Active members gather on Thursdays at the Manassas campus for hands-on projects (prospective members can visit the Nighthawks Cloud website at https://nighthawks.cloud/ and join the Discord server for club information and event updates).

Last summer, Muhammed furthered his practical knowledge by completing an internship with VAE, Inc., a company renowned for providing top-tier infrastructure solutions to government and commercial clients. His manager introduced him to various departments within the company, allowing him to work with project management and ID management teams. His responsibilities included IT tasks and assisting in racking and configuring servers, providing him with invaluable hands-on experience.

Following his internship, Muhammed was hired part-time at NOVA as a lab support technician. For six months, he split his time between the Woodbridge and Manassas campuses, where he provided lab assistance and collaborated on projects with professors. “Working at NOVA was a great experience because I gained hands-on experience and exposure,” he said.

Currently, Muhammed works full-time remotely as a network engineer for Light Professional IT Services, a company specializing in computer security services. In this role, he serves as the point of contact for clients experiencing DDOS attacks, escalates issues to the cybersecurity team when necessary, and upgrades networks and projectors.

He also manages the NSF building’s network, ensuring the proper connection and functionality of IP cameras, access points, WiFi, IoT devices, and printers. “It’s fun. My team is really amazing and experienced, so they help me because I’m a newbie, but I learn every single day,” he said.

Muhammed strongly recommends that NOVA cybersecurity students pursue internships and obtain industry certifications from CompTIA or Cisco to enhance their knowledge and improve their job prospects. “This can deepen your industry knowledge and increase your chances of getting hired,” he advised.

With a passion for lifelong learning, Muhammed’s long-term goals include earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, and he aspires to become a professor one day.

Block Scheduling, GoVA DEEP IET Grant, In-Demand Technology Pathways, Information Technology, NOVA IET, NOVA IET Career Pathways

Fall Block Scheduling Available For NOVA IT Students

 

Block scheduling for information technology students, called Block IT, is available this fall!

NOVA IET is offering a unique opportunity for IT students to be part of a cohort taking the same block of courses for the Fall ’23 semester. The Block IT scheduling program will provide additional support and services for you while creating community and a network of fellow students sharing similar experiences. You will be better aligned and connected to NOVA and jumpstart your college journey.

To participate, you must be enrolled in all 3 of the courses listed below this fall. They can be taken online, in-person, or hybrid. The format of the course you’re taking doesn’t matter (7, 10, 12, or 15 weeks). What matters is that you are taking all 3.

Courses
SDV 101 Orientation to Information Technology (1 credit)
ITN 100 Introduction to Telecommunications (3 credits) – OR-
ITN 101 Introduction to Network Concepts (3 credits)
ITE 152 Introduction to Digital and Information Literacy and Computer Applications (3 credits)

To sign up, make sure you are enrolled in all courses and join one of the Block IT kick-off meetings linked below the first week of school.

Block IT Kickoff Meeting 1 | Aug 23 | 11:00am
Block IT Kickoff Meeting 2 | Aug 23 | 6:30pm

If you have any questions, contact Sedrick Settle, IET Career Advisor at ssettle@nvcc.edu

For more information on IT at NOVA, click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Career & Technical Education, Career Skills, CTE, Cybersecurity, Engineering Technology, Information Technology, Internet of Things, Interpersonal Skills, Mentoring, NOVA Awards, NOVA IET, SkillsUSA, STEM Awards, Student Success

NOVA Wins Gold, Silver, and Bronze at SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference!

NOVA’s SkillsUSA National Competitors

Back Row (L to R): Soham Nawthale, Jonatan Solomon Gebremichael, Nathaniel Bunger, Ardian Peach

Front Row: Takeshi Tamashiro-Pardo, Marcus Dent, Claudio Molina, Dhyuthi Chegu, Kanykei Korosheva, Mahelet Gebremichael, Nora Kaup

Last September, upon being recognized at a special NOVA ceremony for winning a bronze medal in Cybersecurity at the 2022 SkillsUSA National Conference, Ardian Peach was prescient about NOVA prospects in future SkillsUSA events when he declared “although this is NOVA’s first medal on the national stage, it won’t be the last.”

How right he was. Last week, June 19-23, at the 2023 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, NOVA took home Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals, with Peach one-upping himself from last year with a silver in Cybersecurity.

The Skills USA National Leadership & Skills Conference is the ultimate recognition of excellence in career and technical education. This event brings together thousands of students, instructors, business partners, and administrators to celebrate the accomplishments of those preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and it’s an incredible opportunity for students to showcase their talents and skills on the national level.

NOVA’s Jonatan Solomon Gebremichael Wins Gold!

NOVA triumphed with their first national gold. Jonatan Solomon Gebremichael won in the category of Internet of Things: Smart Homes, a three-day intense hands on event where he was required to install a smart TV, smart thermostat, antennae and more onto a make shift room. The event included a troubleshooting component which required him to fix certain things that “went wrong” with his installation.

Gebremichael was ecstatic over his win, saying “It felt amazing. It was something that I’ve never thought would happen because I did not imagine that I was going to win. I worked so hard, not because I wanted to win, but because I truly enjoy what I do. Being encapsulated in my work and my love and appreciation for STEM and engineering led me to this moment. I’ve won at other competitions, but nothing this big nationally, and for that I am so, so happy. Words cannot even express right now. NOVA has brought me to the forefront of my dreams.”

Read more about Jonatan’s experience here.

As mentioned earlier, Ardian Peach returned to take silver in Cybersecurity and earned back-to-back National stage winner status. The three-person team of Nathaniel Bunger, Kanykei Korosheva and Mahelet Gebremichael earned bronze in the Engineering Technology Design team challenge. Claudio Molina also took bronze in Principles of Engineering.  Dhyuthi Chegu took the silver in Extemporaneous Speaking.

Mahelet Gebremichael, Kanykei Korosheva, and Ardian Peach with their medals.

Ardian Peach remarked on his continued success “there’s really something special about being able to compete at nationals against some of the brightest students in the country, and fly home with a medal. We’ve proven that our skills go far outside the classroom and have real world impact, and I’m really proud of that. I’ve gotten opportunities at NOVA that I couldn’t get at a lot of 4 year institutions, which have definitely put me ahead. Shoutout to AllCyber at the Woodbridge campus for helping me prepare for SkillsUSA Nationals!”

Peach will transfer to University of Central Florida this Fall and just this week received news that he has been accepted to the USA National Cybersecurity Camp/Combine, which is used to select the team to compete at the International Cybersecurity Challenge.

NOVA’s SkillsUSA team began their journey in Fall 2022, which culminated in 13 gold medals at the State Championship in April (read more about that here) and 12 students qualifying for Nationals. Students arrived in Atlanta on Monday, June 19, registered and went straight to work.  Some worked on final adjustments to their projects, others put in one final night of studying and review while others met other students and industry professionals from across the country.  The conference was held at the Georgia World Congress Center with some events held at nearby venues.  Thousands of students competed from all 50 states.

The theme for the conference was “Our Time is Now” and NOVA students proved themselves up to the task.  Each team member supported each other and cheered each other on as the conference and competitive events progressed.

One of the bronze medalists In Engineering Technology, Kanykei Korosheva (who is also president of NOVA’s Student Government Association), said that being part of SkillsUSA “has truly been an extraordinary journey throughout my college experience, enriching me with invaluable skills and unforgettable memories. The camaraderie and collaborative spirit we fostered as a team were instrumental in our success. The networking aspect of SkillsUSA opened doors to new friendships, mentorship possibilities, and potential career prospects.”

Her teammate Mahelet Gebremichael added “this has been an incredible journey for me. It required courage to step out of my comfort zone and explore various areas of engineering, technology, and design through my competition. NOVA has played a crucial role in my growth by providing opportunities to engage in clubs, attend conferences, and even pursue an internship that exposed me to real-world applications of my studies. NOVA’s commitment to providing opportunities for all students, regardless of their background or level of confidence, is truly remarkable and Skills USA plays a big role in connecting students with the same passion and interest, providing a platform for collaboration and learning from one another.”

Nate Bunger, a fellow bronze medalist, was similarly grateful for the support he has received in his success: “SkillsUSA, along with the gracious help and resources of NOVA, helped build my skills, let me explore my passion, and gave me the tools necessary to succeed in our competition.”

NOVA’s medalists are listed below.

  • Jonathan Solomon Gebremichael – Gold medal: Smart Homes, Internet of Things
  • Ardian Peach – Silver medal: Cybersecurity
  • Dhyuthi Chegu – Silver medal: Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Nathaniel Bunger – Bronze medal: Engineering Technology Design, 3-person team event
  • Mahelet Gebremichael – Bronze medal: Engineering Technology Design, 3-person team event
  • Kanykei Korosheva – Bronze medal: Engineering Technology Design, 3-person team event
  • Claudio Molina – Bronze medal: Principles of Engineering

There was success for other NOVA students as well. Marcus Dent, placed 5th in telecommunications/cabling and received an immediate job offer from his mentor. Takeshi Tamashiro-Pardo competed in Information Technology and earned his industry certification, CompTIA A+ core 1 and core 2.

Along with all the students listed above, Nora Kaup – First aid/CPR, Soham Nawthale – Computer Programming, and Tanjim Redhwan – Realted Technical Math competed at the national level after winning at the State Championship in April.

Special thanks goes to NOVA IET’s CTE Coordinator M. Andy Chaves and NOVA SySTEMic’s Fab Lab Coordinator Mary Ratcliff for expertly guiding and advising students through the entire process.

Congratulations SkillsUSA NOVA students! You make us proud and boldly lead the way for others at NOVA to strive and succeed.

#BoldyNOVA #SkillsUSA #InDemandTech #NOVAIET

Data Center Operations, Data Centers, Engineering Technology, Industry Partnerships, NOVA IET, STEM Awards, Student Success, Student to Workforce

STACK Infrastructure Wins NOVA-Nominated “Creating Excellence” Award

NOVA IET nominated STACK Infrastructure for the Virginia Department of Education and Virginia’s Community College System State Postsecondary Business and Industry Partnership “Creating Excellence” Award and they won!

STACK is Northern Virginia Community College‘s strongest ally in expanding its Data Center Operations program, serving on advisory boards, assisting with developing and improving curricula, and hosting site visits and a summer bridge program for high school students.

Chad Knights, VP of IET and College Computing at NOVA, alongside Thomas (TJ) Ciccone, VP at STACK Infrastructure (and NOVA DCO Adjunct Professor) and Anthony Antonellis, Asst. Critical Operations Manager at STACK, were on hand to receive the award at the Four Points Sheraton, Richmond on June 8.

STACK has actively worked to expand the DCO program by including additional industry partners and stakeholders, providing guidance, securing funding, preparing and teaching DCO programs of study, and presenting alongside NOVA at industry conferences.

They have been a long-time supporter of the Northern Virginia educational community, from participating in the AFCOM Internship Program to contributing to NOVA IET and NOVA’s Student Success Fund.

Ciccone reflected “Being a part of this project from its inception and watching it grow into such an impactful and meaningful program has been rewarding beyond words. The bright individuals that I’ve had the pleasure of teaching through the NVCC Data Center Operations Management class are truly going to have a lasting positive impact on our industry. Being able to witness the success of former students, some of whom join us here at STACK, is an honor that I hope to continue for many years to come. I’m proud to be a part of a program that is ushering in the next wave of data center talent.”

Antonellis added ““As an NVCC Data Center Operations program graduate, I can confidently say that the deep institutional knowledge gained in this class has been instrumental in forging a clear career path. Now I work within one of STACK’s Northern Virginia data centers, and whenever I support or lead the onsite student tours, it is always a pleasure to watch their enthusiasm and interest grow as they learn about an industry career with exciting upward mobility and a wealth of options for growth.” 

Congratulations STACK, we’re proud to partner with you!

For more on DCO at NOVA click here.

#DataCenter #DCO #northernvirginia #InDemandTech #HighDemandHighWage #YoungTalent

Employee Spotlight, NOVA IET

Meet Our New IET Faculty

Welcome to our 6 new full-time IET faculty members for Fall 2022

NOVA IET is pleased to announce our new faculty team members: Ronnie Dasgupta, Aresgul Cuhader, Mike Hon, Abid Mahmoud, Bryce Summers, and Farzan Soroushi. Bios below:

Ronnie Dasgupta

Ronnie Dasgupta brings over 15 years of experience in Electrical Engineering and Control Systems to Northern Virginia Community College. He has transitioned from Control Systems to Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science.  Before joining NVCC, Ronnie founded a Tech Work Force Development company and contracted out with various academic institutions in the DC-Maryland-Virginia Regions. His objective was to coordinate industry and academia so that technical job training and employment placement are streamlined. Prior to his entrepreneurial venture, he worked as an engineer for the defense industry and has experience in intellectual property.

Ronnie holds multiple certifications in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell University. He also has an industrial FE Certification from South Carolina State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. He obtained his MS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, MS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University, BS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University, and BS in Physics from College of Charleston.

Ronnie is Honorably Discharged from the US Marine Corps Reserves. During his free time, he enjoys competitive tennis and cross-fit.

Aresgul Cuhader

Dr Aysegul Cuhadar received her Doctor of Philosophy in Electronic Systems Engineering from the University of Essex, UK. She has extensive subject matter expertise in data science, machine learning, computer vision and high-performance computing, and has published several papers on these fields. She was a full-time faculty of computer engineering at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in the department and supervising students for their research projects. She serves as an Adjunct Professor of data analytics and provides consulting services to a cybersecurity and IT company as a program manager.

Aysegul is a senior member of IEEE and volunteers as the Vice Chair of Washington section promoting both academia and practice, and managing the local section’s special award process at high school Science Fairs.

In her free time, Aysegul likes to read, hike with her dog, and travel. 

Mike Hon

Professor “Mike” Hon has worked with many law enforcement and intelligence government agencies across security domains ranging from computer forensics to completing successful white hat vulnerability exploit with over 20 years of IT experience and 16 years of teaching at NOVA, UVa, and GMU. Published in IEEE, Professor Hon focuses on practical, hands-on tools and examples to make cybersecurity practical to students. He also leads a team at a non-profit science and technology company that focuses on Cloud Security, FedRAMP, Data Forensics, and Big Data Analytics.

CISSP, CSSLP, SANS GLEG, EIT, PMP
mhon@nvcc.edu

Abid Mahmoud

Abid is a first-generation immigrant, and a proud graduate of NOVA.  He started his U.S. educational journey at NOVA in 1987 taking English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. He went on to earn two associate degrees at NOVA, one in information technology and the other in computer science, a bachelor’s degree in business and has earned two master’s degrees, one in Business and the other in Information Technology Management from Western Governor’s University.

He was offered an opportunity to work at NOVA 23 years ago as and Open Computer Lab Coordinator where he taught classes alongside working in the Computer Lab.  Prior to Coming to NOVA, Abid worked in financial centers’ IT departments.

Amid enjoys seeing his students progress and succeed in life.

Bryce Summers

Trained as a Computer Scientist and Artist, Bryce enjoys teaching programming classes, where he builds supportive learning environments, and creating art, where he tries to make abstract concepts more visible. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and a M.S. degree in Integrated Digital Media from New York University.

Bryce has been actively involved in programming education since 2015 and joined NOVA’s Information And Engineering Technologies (IET) department as an Adjunct Professor in the Spring of 2019. At NOVA, he has taught a variety of programming courses in software design, C++, and Python. He enjoys developing authentic assessments and automatic testing programs for student written code.

Outside of his work at NOVA, Bryce has been running a private consulting practice since 2016, where he primarily solves computational geometry problems, writes compilers, and other algorithm design tasks. His clients range from individuals to large companies like Autodesk.

In his spare time, Bryce enjoys lake kayaking, hiking with a companion, watching the land roll by on long train journeys, spending time with friends and family members, creating portraits of people he cares about, building castles and dog bone sculptures out of sand, crafting theme parks in the Roller Coaster Tycoon computer game, playing his bassoon, visiting his friends who have moved throughout the country, playing the power grid board game on his birthday each, reading comics from South Korea and Japan, and reading fun books on compilers and data structures.

When blending work and play, Bryce enjoys creating illustrations related to programming and has created some comic pages over the years. His most recent story was a narrative about a buffer overflow attack where gold is stolen from a passenger on a train due to a faulty protocol.

Farzan Soroushi

Farzan has 35 years of experience in higher education teaching/administration and IT industry. He started his career as CEO/owner of a software development company focusing on development of applications for the higher education industry.

He has extensive hands-on experience in programming languages, database systems, data analytics, and software engineering. His passion is education and he takes pride in seeing students succeed in their educational and professional goals. His hobbies are walking and playing tennis. In his spare time he provides math and computer tutoring to special needs students as a volunteer in his community

Farzan has a B.S in Applied Mathematics, an M.S in Computer Science, and has completed Ph.D. requirements in Information Technology at George Mason University.

Employee Spotlight, Engineering Technology, Information Technology, NOVA Awards, NOVA IET, NOVA IET Career Pathways

Staff Spotlight: Allison McElfresh is a 2022 NOVA Reward and Recognition Program Awardee

Congratulations to IET Advising’s Allison McElfresh for being a 2022 NOVA Reward and Recognition Program awardee!

The Reward and Recognition Program recognizes administrative and professional faculty, classified staff, teaching faculty, and adjunct faculty who have demonstrated outstanding contributions and exemplary performance.

Allison McElfresh is the strategic lead for advising for students in any of NOVA’s Seventeen Information and Engineering Technology associate degrees and career studies certificates. She brings 14 years of experience as an Advisor and Program Analyst at NOVA to her role.  According to Allison, “One of the greatest challenges of the advising position is finding a balance between responsive advising, where we provide support to students who contact us because they know they need help vs proactive advising, where we try to anticipate problems our IET students might encounter and then attempt to solve those problems before the student even becomes aware of them.”

Her vision is to use data more effectively when advising students and to create resources that help students more easily find the information they need regarding course selection and transfer planning.

So far, she has been able to combine Python programming and Excel to produce tracking sheets that show which students have completed which requirements for their degrees or certificates, so the IET Advisors could identify students who had completed a CSC without being aware of it, so they could be contacted to apply for graduation.  The sheets have also been useful in identifying students who had applied for graduation but forgotten to transfer classes in from another college, allowing those students to complete the transfer process in time.

Allison regularly takes IT classes at NOVA herself in order to acquire the skills to better solve advising problems.  She has been taking courses in Python Programming and Advanced Database Management, and will be working towards the new Data Analytics Specialist CSC which should be added to NOVA’s curriculum sometime in 2023.

“I can’t wait to see the ways in which Machine Learning and Data Analytics can help me find creative ways to advise my students better.”  If you have any advising questions for one of the IET degree or certificate programs, you can reach Allison McElfresh and the other members of the IET Advising team at iet@nvcc.edu.

Data Center Operations, Engineering Technology, Externships, Fab Lab, NOVA IET, NOVA IET Career Pathways, NOVA STEM Faculty, Professional Development, Teacher Professional Development

Engineering Tech Externship Program at NOVA

NOVA has 2 exciting Externship opportunities for 1) Secondary Educators and 2) Industry Professionals in Engineering Technology. These externships are supported by an NSF DCO Tech Grant.

1) Externship For Secondary Educators
Register at: iet.novastem.us/Externship2 

>> For secondary school CTE administrators, teachers, and/or counselors who are interested in guiding students into a successful tech career.

This externship equips educators to build awareness for Engineering Technology (ET) and Data Center Operations (DCO) careers in the region and the educational pathways NOVA provides to prepare students for these in-demand and high-wage careers. Educator Externship participants receive a stipend after completing the following activities:

  1. Attend an industry tour of Micron Technology, where attendees will see the daily operations and gain insight into career opportunities in Engineering Technology. 
  2. Attend an industry tour of a data center, which will provide first-hand visuals of a data center’s daily operations. There will also be a presentation on data center careers and opportunities. 
  3. Attend a tour/professional development day at the NOVA Manassas Fab Lab. The goal is to create clear pathways and provide materials to guide high school students into NOVA’s Engineering Technology and Data Center Operations programs. 

Micron Tours: April 5th or May 16th
Data Center Tours: April 22nd, May 20th, or June 30th
NOVA Fab Lab Tours/PD Day: July 22nd or 29th 

>> Register at: iet.novastem.us/Externship2
>> For more info contact Matt Lambert at blambert@nvcc.edu

Click Here for more info about Engineering Technology at NOVA
Click Here for more info about Data Center Operations at NOVA

2) Externship For Industry Professionals
Register at iet.novastem.us/Externship

>> For engineering technology professionals and data center technicians to inspire the next generation of engineering technicians.

This externship engages professionals in the Engineering Technology industry to support high school students who are learning about technician careers, and equips professionals to teach NOVA’s engineering tech programs. Industry Externship participants receive a stipend after completing the following activities:

  1. An introduction to NOVA’s engineering technology programs and facilities.
  2. Learn credentials required to teach as an adjunct instructor at NOVA and explore the pathways to becoming a credentialed engineering technology or data center operations faculty member.
  3. Develop and deliver two lessons for the summer bridge program to inspire high school students to pursue careers in Engineering Technology.

Participants will attend an in-person professional development session at the NOVA Fab Lab (NOVA Manassas Trailside Building) on June 10th, where they will create their lesson presentation for NOVA’s Engineering Tech Summer Bridge Program, to be taught on either June 24th or 30th.

Virtual PD Sessions: May 5th, 12th, and 19th
In-Person PD Session: June 10th, 2022 at the NOVA Fab Lab
Bridge Program Instructing: June 24th or 30th

>> Register at iet.novastem.us/Externship
>> For more info contact Matt Lambert at blambert@nvcc.edu

Click Here for more info about Engineering Technology at NOVA
Click Here for more info about Data Center Operations at NOVA

Supporting Technology Programs at NOVA

NOVA IET: NOVA’s Information and Engineering Technology Program. Learn more about Information Technology, Engineering Technology, Data Center Operations, Cybersecurity, Information Systems Technology, and Cloud Computing https://www.nvcc.edu/iet.

NOVA SySTEMic: NOVA’s STEM Program to equip students for in-demand technology careers and expand regional capacity for STEM talent. Learn more about STEM Careers, NOVA Fab Lab activities, Summer Bridge Programs (in Computer Science, Information Technology, and Engineering Technology), STEM Camps, Teacher Professional Development, STEM Competitions, Expos, and more: https://www.nvcc.edu/systemic

#WeDoSTEM #InDemandTech #HighTechHighWage

Cybersecurity, NOVA IET, NOVA IET Career Pathways, Veterans in STEM

Veteran’s Day Student Spotlight

Saim Bashir is a student in NOVA’s Cybersecurity program, choosing cybersecurity as a career path after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He is an active member of the Veterans’ Student Association and, as an injured warrior, a great example of perseverance. He has faced many barriers while transitioning back into civilian life. However, being involved at NOVA and in the Cybersecurity program has given him an outlet to be active and engaged. He had often questioned if he would be able to find a fulfilling career after serving our country, and NOVA’s Cybersecurity program has given him the ability to continue making a difference.

Despite financial hardships brought on by the pandemic, the G3 funding has allowed him to continue to take classes at NOVA. Thank you for your service, Saim!

Check out our Cybersecurity program at NOVA.