Sloan Foundation

Training the Next Generation of IT Professional for News York City's Finance Industry

In 2004, CISDD began work on a project funded by the Sloan Foundation to foster the relationship between CUNY computer science programs and New York City based financial firms. This partnership was created with several goals in mind, including creating a permanent relationship with the finance industry based in New York City.

CISDD formed an Industry Executive Advisory Committee comprised of executives at various firms from across the city that are familiar with the hiring needs of their firms with regard to computer science graduates. Several key skills and needs were noted as advisable additions to a general computer science degree. Simultaneously, CISDD organized an Industrial Curriculum Advisory Committee made up of faculty members from computer science departments from across CUNY.

Many of the suggestions from both committees were instituted into a course designed by CISDD and funded separately through a CUNY Workforce Development Initiative grant, creating "The Complete Software Development Lifecycle" class. CUNY offered this class as a full year course intended to offer students the opportunity to learn important skills that had often been ignored in typical coursework. The course gave students an understanding of project management for a large project and a hands-on experience working on a (medium sized) project from beginning to end. In addition, students gained knowledge of the differences between the business and academic environments, as well as communication and project management skills, version control, collaboration tools, and specification needs.

CISDD and the Sloan Foundation would like to have courses modeled after this pilot course eventually instituted at two CUNY campuses in the future. Brooklyn College offered a similar course to their students prior to the pilot lifecycle course, and CISDD hopes that other colleges begin to offer similar coursework in the future.

CISDD also worked in a partnership with the Fiscal Policy Institute to release a report on the current state and future opportunities of computer science graduates in the New York City region. While the number of employees in computer related professions is down from its peak from a few years ago, there is substantial outlook for an eventual turnaround. One of the main reasons for the future expectation of increased computer related employment is based on the needs of the financial services industry. This partnership will help CUNY students in both the short-term and long-term future.