Transcend IT
Partner Agency: Transcend IT
Location(s): 550 Vandalia Street Suite 302, Saint Paul, MN 55114
Site Supervisor: Joe Richter, IT Career Pathways Navigator / Project Manager
CTEP Program Description
The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for new Immigrants and low-income communities in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. Join AmeriCorps CTEP and help make the information age accessible to all. CTEP is a project of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN).
Site History and Mission
Transcend IT serves all the above populations with an emphasis on women and people of color gaining the technology skills needed to translate into IT jobs. In 2018, Transcend IT also served a total of 48% unemployed and underemployed individuals with over half of all participants coming in with low technology skills. Transcend IT works to build greater access to technology for individuals who may not have previously had that opportunity. This means that we provide technology, curriculum, and mentorship that provides individuals confidence in building technology skills and translating those skills into fruitful careers. Transcend IT has a direct hand in ensuring that individuals are placed into IT careers after they complete the program. Ongoing mentorship and support ensures that individuals continue to grow in their careers and stay in the field.
Preferred Site Schedule for Member
Schedule can vary depending on the availability of CTEP volunteer and the site placement. Transcend IT has open hours from 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 9am-2pm Saturday-Sunday. CTEP member time would be most useful during the week between the times of 9am-6pm.
Specific Site Responsibilities
The role of the CTEP members will support the learning and development of participant all along their digital literacy journey. From assessments, to developing learning plans, to tracking progress and learning, CTEP members will be a critical part of ensuring a participant's success and continuous development throughout the program. This will include supporting technology training programs from assessment and placement of individuals into the program that is the best fit for them, as well as to support training staff in the tracking of progress and understanding of course materials for individuals within the program.
Transcend IT offers Help Desk and Network training, so anyone placed at this site will have the opportunity to learn and support individuals training with a diverse set of equipment and real-world technology projects. Routers, switches, ticketing systems, and basic Microsoft professional programs are all tools heavily used within all training offered.
Site Environment
Transcend IT is in the Creative Enterprise Zone, located in the adjacent building to other CTEP partners, SPNN and Film North, so they would be very close to other CTEP members. The site is also a 15 minute walk from green line light rail on University Ave.
All sites are professional environments, where professionalism is practiced and modeled for all who are served as well as practiced by all internal staff. Individuals who will be most successful in their role will be open to collaboration, enjoy working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and have a willingness to learn about all types of technology.
How to Apply
Apply online at my.americorps.gov and click on “Apply to Serve” (be sure to search for the “Community Technology Empowerment Project” or “CTEP” when asked to indicate what program you would like to send your application to). Contact: Joel Krogstad, krogstad@spnn.org or 651.298.8918.
We are committed to recruiting and engaging individuals without regard to disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request. Alternative formats of this document are also available.