SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT workforce development and training, has opened applications for its spring 2024 IT support classes, which will run from Feb. 12 through June 14, 2024.

Tech Foundry’s training includes 14 weeks of tech-focused classes supported by professional-development activities and individualized coaching and tutoring, followed by four weeks of internship experience and ongoing job-placement support. Tech Foundry’s graduates successfully launch careers in IT help-desk and technical-support roles, as well as network administration and digital-imaging and deployment positions, leading to living-wage jobs in the tech sector.

To apply, visit thetechfoundry.org/the-program/apply-now and complete the application by Dec. 31.

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT workforce development and training, has opened applications for its fall 2023 classes, which will run from Aug. 21 through Dec. 22.

Tech Foundry’s training includes 14 weeks of tech-focused classes supported by professional-development activities and individualized coaching and tutoring, followed by four weeks of internship experience and ongoing job-placement support. Tech Foundry’s graduates successfully launch careers in IT help-desk and technical-support roles, as well as network administration and digital imaging and deployment positions, leading to living-wage jobs in the technology sector.

To learn more, join one of the upcoming information sessions by clicking here. To apply, click here and complete the application by July 17.

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, a regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the hiring of three new staff members as well as four promotions, which will allow the organization to double the number of participants served annually.

Henry Alston was hired as Tech Foundry’s Service-Learning coordinator. In this role, he will be responsible for implementing the organization’s new service-learning pilot program in collaboration with Mass Humanities’ Clemente Course in the Humanities. He is a tech and wellness enthusiast with career experience in sales, marketing, and project coordination. After attaining his bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University in Oxford, Pa. in 2015, he went on to graduate from the University of Louisville with his MBA in 2020. He is a Tech Foundry alum.

Phillip Borras is Tech Foundry’s Career Readiness and Recruitment coordinator, a new role created to provide focused support and mentoring to student members. His diverse experience as a professional speaker, comedian, and life coach allows him to successfully teach and support Tech Foundry participants as a career coach during and after the program.

Jessica Cogoli has been promoted to assistant instructor. She is a Tech Foundry alum and has been working closely with the organization since she graduated, both as a volunteer and a TA for its IT-support training program. She is currently enrolled at Holyoke Community College and will graduate with an associate degree in computer science in the spring.

Marie-Ange Delimon, a Tech Foundry alum, has been promoted to manager of Community Impact for the organization. In this role, she oversees external partnerships and community engagement, including managing internship and job-placement programs as well as partnerships with a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout Western Mass. Previously, she served as Tech Foundry’s manager of Workforce Development. She is a graduate of a variety of medical-training programs and holds an MD degree from Université Notre Dame d’Haïti.

Johannes Romatka has been promoted to manager of Instruction and Curriculum. Previously an instructor at Tech Foundry, he has a diverse background in information technology, including training and network support. Prior to joining Tech Foundry, he worked in a training role for internal IT-support staff at U.S. Bank.

Linh Tran joined Tech Foundry in February as the organization’s new Administrative and Marketing coordinator, where she will support development, program, and communication initiatives. Originally from Vietnam, she has been studying and working in Massachusetts for almost 10 years. She is an experienced management professional with a diverse background in nonprofit, retail, legal, and insurance organizations, and is a graduate of Tech Foundry’s IT-support training program.

Michelle Wilson was hired as Tech Foundry’s manager of Administration and Operations in September and was recently promoted to deputy director, a position that encompasses a variety of duties, including overall operations management, fundraising, and marketing. Her background includes more than 17 years in nonprofit management, with roles at a national membership organization in San Francisco, a globally recognized mentoring program, an independent school in Seattle, and a state humanities council. She is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. and holds a master’s degree in public administration from San Francisco State University.

“It’s very exciting to see Tech Foundry’s growth and expanded impact,” CEO Tricia Canavan said. “We are grateful to our funders and donors, as well as to our partners in the community, which are supporting the expansion of our program to benefit more residents and organizations throughout the region.”

BOSTON — Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy announced three new grants from the Commonwealth’s Tech Talent Diversity Initiative, an effort aimed at boosting diversity hiring and training opportunities for diverse candidates. The three grants, totaling $494,947, were awarded to Tech Foundry in Springfield, Hack.Diversity in Boston, and Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology in Boston.

“The Tech Talent Diversity grants are one way our administration is working to improve equity in a key, growing sector, by supporting organizations that are opening doors for new candidates to find employment or to get the training they need to enter a career,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “We look forward to seeing the progress these organizations will make in the future.”

Tech Foundry was founded in 2014 by Pioneer Valley tech employers and other workforce, business, education, and economic-development stakeholders to address the regional skills gap in information technology and drive regional economic growth. The organization offers training programs aimed at filling entry-level IT roles and provides training that is tailored to the needs of partner employers, including a work-experience component where students are placed in a position at a local employer.

Tech Foundry’s $72,547 grant award will be used to assist employer partners’ ability to host students, primarily in the Pioneer Valley, for hands-on training, by creating a new platform called Tech Foundry Ventures to host two new programs, including the development of a virtual IT technician-training environment, working with employer partners to create a tool where students will face similar scenarios to those seen on the job, allowing them to practice the skills they have learned in the classroom without the stakes of serving real-world clients; and the launch of a service-learning initiative where students will work with community organizations that cannot afford to utilize commercial services, providing similar IT services to those provided by employer partners. The expanded tools will allow Tech Foundry to train as many as 150 additional students per year, three times its existing number.

“Tech Foundry provides agile, real-time opportunities for our student members to practice the new technology skills they’re developing through training,” said Tricia Canavan, CEO of Tech Foundry. “The Tech Talent Diversity Initiative funding is allowing us to expand the opportunities for refining their students’ tech competencies through a two-pronged approach. The virtual ‘sandbox’ allows Tech Foundry to create scenarios in real-time which reflect our employer partners’ unique help-desk needs, enabling relevant skills practice. The service-learning project will provide Tech Foundry participants another opportunity to sharpen their tech skills while also supporting the community. The Commonwealth’s investment in these programs will provide measurable, positive impact to our student members as well as the region.”

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, with a mission to support the region’s growing need for a qualified technology workforce and elevate underrepresented groups into sustainable careers in information technology, announced the appointment of Tricia Canavan as its CEO effective March 21. Canavan will succeed Bruce Dixon, who resigned to pursue new opportunities.

Tricia Canavan

Founded in 2014, Tech Foundry has offered internships, networking opportunities, and instruction to traditionally low-income, underserved populations, preparing graduates for entry-level IT work in the Pioneer Valley. These programs are offered free of charge to participants through donations from area businesses and members of the local community.

With a background in nonprofit and business management, workforce development, and adult education, Canavan currently serves as executive vice president of corporate relations and advocacy for Masis Staffing Solutions. Previously, she served as CEO of United Personnel, which was acquired by Masis in May 2021. She chairs the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, co-chairs Springfield Business Leaders for Education, and serves on the boards of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, MassHire Hampden County, and the Springfield Public Forum.

“We are grateful for Bruce’s leadership of Tech Foundry over the last two years and look forward to Tricia joining the organization,” said Delcie Bean IV, Tech Foundry board chair. “Her knowledge of the Western Massachusetts economic and educational ecosystems, as well as her organizational management, will help Tech Foundry continue to grow and innovate.”

Canavan noted that “adult education and workforce and economic development have been areas of great interest to me, beginning with my work as a faculty member at Berkshire Community College 20 years ago and continuing through my current position and board roles. I am eager to leverage my professional and volunteer experience in partnership with the staff, board, and partners of Tech Foundry to create more career opportunities for area residents and assist local companies in building their workforces.”

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, a nonprofit with a mission to support the region’s growing need for a qualified technology workforce and elevate underrepresented groups into sustainable careers in information technology, has named Bruce Dixon its new CEO. Dixon will work alongside an 11-member board, lead a five-member staff, and drive strategic business partnerships and curriculum development to propel the already-thriving organization forward.

Founded in 2014, Tech Foundry has offered internships, networking opportunities, and instruction to traditionally low-income, underserved populations, preparing graduates for the entry-level IT workforce in the Pioneer Valley. These programs are offered free of charge to participants through generous donations from area businesses and members of the local community.

Dixon previously served as CEO of the Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program, a social venture that inspires and prepares underrepresented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It’s this background that generated interest among Tech Foundry board members, but it’s his well-rounded background and personal philosophy that solidified his candidacy.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Bruce Dixon to our team,” said Delcie Bean, CEO of Paragus IT and co-founder of Tech Foundry. “Not only does he possess an impressive résumé, he understands and subscribes to the mission and vision of our organization.”

Dixon is an award-winning innovator, social entrepreneur, adventurer, storyteller, and self-proclaimed “human-performance geek.” His insatiable curiosity and zest for life has led him to trek around the globe and to engage in an eclectic array of vocations including professional football, financial-services management, leadership development, organizational behavior, coaching, and nonprofit innovation.

He has held a variety of leadership roles with the Hartford Financial Services Group and the Chubb group of insurance companies; was honored with numerous awards, including the Connecticut Science Center Award for Achievement in STEM Innovation and Education and Wesleyan University’s Social Entrepreneurship Award; and was invited as an honored guest to the 2014 inaugural White House Maker Faire.