The demand for IT skills such as AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data science, and programming languages like Python, Java, and JavaScript is higher than ever. Crescent Career Center in Mendota Heights is taking this challenge head-on, ready to prepare a new generation of IT professionals.
Traci Leffner has been president of Sovran, a managed IT services company, for nine years. In October 2023, New Horizons Computer Training Center was acquired by Educate 360. Despite Educate 360’s purchase and subsequent disenfranchising of the global franchise, Crescent Career Center rose from the ashes and is now dedicated to continuing its mission of providing valuable career development.
Vendor-Authorized Training in Mendota Heights
Crescent Career Center offers vendor-authorized training programs for industry-recognized technology partners, including Cisco, Microsoft, Citrix, VMWare, CompTIA, Adobe, and the Project Management Professional. These courses are designed to build skills and prepare students for valuable certifications, which are often a cost of entry.
Traci’s vision for Crescent Career Center makes students more than just a number. “We truly care. This is not a transactional business model. We are growing relationships with each and every student to see how we can help them,” she emphasizes. The center focuses on dislocated workers, veterans, and vocational students for whom traditional college degrees are not an option.
One of the center’s key initiatives is the “Begin Again” career networking event held every third Wednesday of the month. These events offer resume reviews, mock interviews, free headshots, and the opportunity to meet with career specialists. Additionally, partnerships with organizations like Goodwill, Easter Seals, and SEEK, provide funding and career placement support.
Crescent Career Center is also committed to helping local high school students grow technical skills through initiatives like hosting Rocket League, where students learn coding and programming. The center also offers internships to help students explore various branches of IT and determine their career paths.
On-the-Job Training Opportunities
One challenge many job-seekers find is that they have obtained all the necessary training and certifications but lack the job experience that many employers require. Crescent’s on-the-job training program allows individuals to gain that real-world experience working in a live help desk environment. Residents in the Twin Cities can call (844) 658-0130 for help with IT issues at no cost.
Crescent Career Center also offers businesses in the metro area the opportunity to interview and hire candidates with no finder’s fee. “We make sure candidates are ready and when they are, we are happy to put them in front of local employers.” Since January, Crescent Career Center has placed over 27 candidates in IT positions.
Crescent’s 58-day training program equips students with up to seven certifications, followed by up to four months of on-the-job training, making sure they are well-prepared for professional entry-level IT positions.
Since February 2024, Ramsey County has partnered with Crescent Career Center to build this beta program. This collaboration will strengthen the local economy and reverse the migration trends affecting Minnesota. “We want to help. We want to contribute to our community and change Minnesota's reverse migration. We love our state and want to strengthen our economy one candidate at a time,” Traci states.
Crescent Career Center is not just an educational institution: it’s a place of opportunity. Through its comprehensive training programs and unwavering commitment to student success, the center is shaping the future of the service industry, one skilled professional at a time.
To learn more, visit the website: https://crescentcareer.com/.
We truly care. This is not a transactional business model. We are growing relationships with each and every student to see how we can help them.