IT Instructor - Part-time

Position Summary

Are you an instructor who thrives in a collaborative and inventive environment?  Do you emphasize hands-on experience and practical knowledge in your teaching?  Are you excited about preparing adults for meaningful careers in a high-demand industry?

Just A Start is seeking an instructor to teach courses in our Information Technology Careers Program.  This is a part-time, contract role for the 2024-2025 academic year, with possibility of renewal, with 7-9 hours per week (5-7 hours of instruction, both online and in-person, 1 hour of meetings, 1 hour paid prep time), paid at $65 per hour.  The particular courses taught will depend on expertise, but areas of instruction include networking, help desk support, operating systems, software applications, and computer/device hardware.  Note that this program focuses on front-line IT support for networking, hardware, and software; we do not teach coding.  We are a Cisco Networking Academy.

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned IT educator with industry experience, a commitment to hands-on, experiential learning, and comfort teaching adults from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Program Background

Just A Start’s mission is to promote equity by creating access to stable housing and building pathways to economic opportunity. The Information Technology Careers Program, offered out of our Workforce Development (adult career training) office, provides adult students with education and training to obtain entry level positions in IT support.  Students learn workforce skills that are aligned with industry needs, as well as durable (soft) skills that are crucial for success in the workplace.

Just A Start has just completed a state-of-the-art computer lab that utilizes fiber optic and ethernet connectivity to the desktop, with an internal lab network infrastructure including wireless access points.  This will enable instruction on hands-on configurations with routers, switches, printers, laptops, desktops, hand-held devices, and Internet-of-Things.

Classes run five days a week for nine months; each cohort meets online one day per week.  Our students are a diverse group of adults, mostly ages 25-60, who are seeking a stimulating career and financial stability for themselves and their families.  Many are English language learners who completed most or all of their education in their home countries.  Most work at least part-time and care for children and other family members while in the program.

Work Requirements

All employees and long-term consultants are required to be fully vaccinated and follow the organization's established protocols regarding COVID.

Position Details

• Course dates: Fall semester 9/9/24-12/20/24; Spring semester 1/6/25-5/16/25
• Location: Hybrid remote/in-the-office 
• Work Hours: Classes meet Monday-Friday 9am-2pm.  Other hours for meetings, lesson prep, etc. will be outside of this timeframe and generally flexible.
• Compensation: $65/hour

What You’ll Do

• Teach IT course(s) to two cohorts of 18 students each.
• Maintain appropriate classroom management while utilizing a variety of teaching methods and strategies to meet the needs of diverse adult student learning styles.
• Maintain and document lesson plans and assessment tools (exams, quizzes, project/portfolio assignments, etc.) and submit as required.
• Assess students’ learning outcomes and prepare progress reports for all students.   
• Recommend students in need of additional support services and tutoring. 
• Collaborate closely with other teachers and Just A Start staff to ensure that students’ professional skills and communication abilities are aligned with the needs of employers.
• Participate in teaching staff and Workforce Development meetings as required.
• Participate in program development and evaluation activities.

Who You Are and Keys to Success

To be successful in this job, you will excel in four areas:

1. Teaching: You have extensive experience as a teacher of IT and have mastery of a wide range of classroom tools and techniques, particularly in guiding students to apply their knowledge in real-world situations.  You have worked successfully with non-native English speakers and students with learning challenges.  You are skilled at keeping students engaged in live online classes.

2. Technical skills: You have industry experience in networking and systems administration and/or IT support.  You use your experience in your teaching to help students master practical skills, with the goal of preparing them for a career in IT.

3. Adaptability: You tailor your curriculum and lesson planning to the needs of your students.  You use various teaching modalities to help students master content.  You creatively use differentiated instruction to keep students at different skill levels engaged and stimulated.

4. Cultural awareness and building rapport: You have experience working with underrepresented populations, e.g. immigrants, people of color, and/or individuals with low to moderate income.  You recognize systemic barriers related to race, class, gender, income, age, immigration status, and other identities.  You understand how cultural values can shape experiences in the classroom and the workforce.  You are skilled in making connections with students, other faculty, and staff, and you create a classroom environment where students can support and learn from each other.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a computing-related field
• Industry experience in IT support or systems administration preferred
• Cisco Certified Instructor preferred (IT Essentials, Networking Essentials, IoT, Linux, etc.)
  • Just A Start may be able to assist otherwise qualified instructors in attaining a Cisco certification after one year of teaching with us
• We expect that qualified candidates will have at least three years’ experience teaching adults, as well as a minimum of three years IT support or systems administration experience.  However, we encourage you to apply if you have developed the “Keys to Success” listed above in other ways.  We especially encourage women, GLBTQIA+, BIPOC, or those with disabilities to consider how they may have developed the skills needed for success in ways other than direct years of experience.

Workforce Development Program Values

1. Student Centered- We center and inform our work with a holistic approach to our students.

• Trusting students as the experts in their own lives and supporting students in their version of success
• Each program participant is creative, resourceful, and whole
• Using a wraparound model of support
• Meeting students where they are at in their lives and academically
  • Using economic mobility metrics to set ambitious program outcomes
  • Industry-aligned curricula
  • Creating and using internal and external feedback loops
  • Using data from program participants, industry and community partners to guide program design
  • Collaborating towards a shared vision of success
  • Cultivating industry and community relationships that align with our values
  • Recognizing and elevating the unique contributions of each individual
  • Using generous assumptions to cultivate trust and connection
  • Embracing discomfort and giving/receiving feedback to identify areas of growth in advancing our goals
  • Cultivating a growth mindset to learn new skills and think about things from a different perspective for our program participants and ourselves
  • Advancing team knowledge and skills through trainings, resources, and conversations to sustain best practices 

2. Quality-focused- We develop and continuously adapt our programming, policies and practices using stakeholder input to align with industry needs and standards.
3. Relationship-builders- We are committed to fostering meaningful impactful and reciprocal relationships with students, partners, and each other.
4. Learning Community- We view continuous improvement as an essential component of our program model and success.

About Just A Start

Just A Start is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Our staff represents a wide range of ages, races, interests, and backgrounds coming together in pursuit of common goals. Together, we strive to provide an environment that values diversity and promotes an inclusive culture.  Applications from women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.