HealthPartners Receives Polaris Award from Creating IT Futures Foundation for Leadership in Building IT Careers

Bloomington, Minn., October 13, 2015 – The Creating IT Futures Foundation awarded HealthPartners with the Polaris Award, recognizing the company’s leadership in building IT careers for those in need of career opportunities.

Since getting involved in Creating IT Futures’ IT-Ready career program in 2012, HealthPartners has been the biggest employer of IT-Ready graduates in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area, taking on 11 apprentices and offering 9 of them full-time positions in information technology (IT) already.

The IT-Ready program provides eight weeks of full-time technical and soft-skills training at no cost to participants, who are unemployed or under-employed individuals. Graduates then sit for the vendor-neutral CompTIA A+ certification exam. Certified graduates are placed into on-the-job work experiences with local employers.

"The IT-Ready workers came in with some excellent technical training, as well as soft skills training that they need in order to quickly integrate into our company," said Becky Ryan, senior manager, Enterprise Support Centers, HealthPartners. "After experiencing the success of IT-Ready graduates, it became clear that IT-Ready training was exactly what we are looking for in new entry-level hires. Not only are these employees technically trained, they have a wonderful attitude and are totally engaged in their work environment."

Since 2012, Creating IT Futures has placed more than 150 out-of-work Minnesotans into upwardly mobile IT occupations. Ninety-four percent pass the CompTIA A+ exam and 80 percent of the graduates get full-time IT work. Creating IT Futures secured a permanent office in Edina this spring and now runs four classes a year with 20-26 students per class.

"Even before President Obama launched the TechHire Initiative this year, Creating IT Futures recognized that Minneapolis /St. Paul was a great area to grow the IT industry but employers needed more qualified IT workers," said Sue Wallace, executive director, Minneapolis / St. Paul, Creating IT Futures Foundation. "With the community leadership of partners like HealthPartners, IT-Ready is working with more than 60 employers in Minnesota, and is now a major part of Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges’ plan to expand tech career opportunities under the TechHire Initiative. We’re thrilled to present our Polaris Award to HealthPartners."

During an IT-Ready breakfast this morning with speaker Erick Garcia Luna, economic development policy aide, Office of Mayor Betsy Hodges, City of Minneapolis, the Polaris Award was presented to HealthPartners.

To see what’s required of IT-Ready participants and all that they receive, potential employers, mentors, students and community partners can learn more at www.ITReady.com.