Cascadia Community College recently received a grant from the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council to expand its capacity to offer Business Intelligence with SQL Server 2008 training to people who are currently unemployed.

According to the school, the idea is to give students who complete the certification through Cascadia’s Continuing Education program skills that will help them move back into the job market more quickly as the economy recovers.

The certificate is designed for people with at least one year of IT experience who have been laid off and need retraining to prepare for a career in a high wage, high demand field. The coursework will also help prepare students for the Microsoft business intelligence exam.

Business intelligence includes the knowledge and skills needed to help employers identify costs and revenue opportunities and coordinate information to support sound financial decisions.

“We are excited to help dislocated workers in Snohomish and King counties obtain the training they need to become more competitive in the local job market. The business intelligence curriculum is designed to support companies in the region and promote local economic growth by sending workers with newly upgraded skills back into the workforce,” said Director of Continuing Education Ray Kubista.

Students who meet the eligibility requirements of the grant will have their course fees, books, parking and certification exam fee paid for by the grant. The Snohomish County Workforce Development Council awarded grants through a competitive bid process with funding from the federal government’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Classes start at the end of September and run for 11 weeks. The program accommodates a maximum of 16 students. For more information, including qualification requirements, contact Ray Kubista at (425) 352-8261 or rkubista@cascadia.edu.