Penske Taps Innovative “Step IT Up” Program to Develop Future High-Tech Talent

Penske Faucets Progressive “Step IT Up” Program to Develop Future Excessive-Tech Expertise


As we speak, Penske Truck Leasing hosted a break up, live-streamed commencement ceremony honoring and welcoming 30 new people to its IT crew. Twenty of the graduates are primarily based out of Tampa, Florida at Penske’s Tech Middle, and 10 of the graduates are primarily based at its headquarters in Studying, Pennsylvania.


What’s distinctive about this group, is that lower than a 12 months in the past, most have been inexperienced persons to pc programming. This all modified by a profession and life-changing program referred to as Step IT Up, supplied by UST, an IT companies and options supplier. This program is a science, expertise, engineering, math (STEM), and IT coaching alternative – all rolled into one.

“I didn’t assume I’d discover success, however this program modified my life,” mentioned Alan “P” Phommahaxay a graduate in Studying. “My household was dwelling in Minnesota, and I’m a veteran of the Military Nationwide Guard. We took a leap of religion on this program, picked-up and moved to Pennsylvania. I’m grateful for all the teachings and information I’ve gathered by Step IT Up, our leaders, lecturers, and mentors and my fellow graduates. I stay up for the subsequent chapter of my life, with Penske.”

This system, focuses on offering males, girls, minorities and veterans with an accelerated IT schooling and technical coaching to mildew them into IT consultants for potential employers. Candidates are given a possibility to be taught pc programming in a brief time frame (six months), in hopes of turning into an IT skilled and touchdown a brand new profession within the expertise discipline.

“You all took an enormous step. You decided that can repay in the long term and I couldn’t consider a greater firm so that you can be a part of,” mentioned Mike Krut, senior vice chairman of data expertise for Penske. “Our management and tradition make Penske among the finest, and our dedication to coaching and growth will enable you to take advantage of out of your profession. I stay up for working with you every day.”

Six months in the past, these graduates handed a 2.5-hour evaluation and went by an interview course of. They have been then chosen to undergo UST’s rigorous and accelerated every day coaching – assisted by Penske’s IT crew – that spanned six months. College students have been uncovered to studying the fundamentals of pc programming and ultimately the extra refined complexities. Graduates spent months coaching on pc programming languages similar to Java and RPG.

Quick ahead to at this time and these 30 graduates are actually embarking on the subsequent step of their journeys and are prepared to use the whole lot they’ve realized.

The commencement ceremony included Penske’s IT division and management and featured a number of speeches and a small reception in each Tampa and Studying. The occasion was dwell streamed between the 2 places for a joint celebration and concluded with handing out Certificates of Achievement and graduate acknowledgements.

The occasion hosted a plethora of audio system together with current graduates celebrating their accomplishments, and what this ceremony meant to them.

“We got here, we noticed, and we conquered – we conquered,” mentioned Navy veteran, Raul Polanco from Tampa. “We utterly modified and have become world drive for innovation and have been permitted to take Penske to the subsequent degree within the Tech forefront. We grew to become a cohesive crew – so very distinctive in every of our choices. Nice corporations don’t rent talent, they rent integrity. Right here’s to our new path; our subsequent chapter.”

“Many people have been trying to find our subsequent step in life, I used to be learning my grasp’s in pc science – searching for what was subsequent,” mentioned Nicole Epting in Studying. The Step IT Up program gave our graduating class the chance to get our toes moist within the tech world; it was that a lot wanted lacking hyperlink for all of us – and it’s only the start.”

Mike Krut (Penske – SVP of Info Expertise), Nicole Epting (graduate), and Melody Byrd (UST – Coach/Supervisor)

Members of Penske’s IT crew will now work carefully with the graduates over the subsequent 12 months to get them absolutely acclimated to the duties and duties of their new potential careers. After a one-year trial interval, Penske might lengthen full-time job affords to the graduates.

That is Penske’s second graduating class, in partnership with UST.

Go to GoPenske.com/careers to be taught extra about nice careers at Penske.

By “Transfer Forward” Workers

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