COMMON Education Foundation's Mission is to expose individuals to IT

As technology continues to evolve at an exponential rate, so does the demand for IT professionals. This growing need presents an unprecedented opportunity for students to embark upon an educational track to prepare them for a professional career in Information Technology.

The COMMON Education Foundation (CEF) is providing pathways to engage and educate a new generation of IT talent. One of CEF’s primary missions is to nurture the development and growth of future IT professionals who will manage and support the computing systems of tomorrow. CEF’s strategy is to encourage students and individuals (including those who have business experience and are considering career changes) to seek careers in the information technology industry, while providing them with supplementary educational opportunities along the way.

2018 Student Innovation Award Winner

COMMON’s Student Innovation Award winner, Joseph Dreese, is from Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Dreese’s project outlined the significance of phishing attacks and the steps that organizations can take to defend against them. The project can be used as a reference by universities and other organizations to develop and execute successful phishing simulations at a relatively low cost.

Although, he knew very little about IBM before he attended POWERUp18, that all changed within a matter of days. By attending sessions and immersing himself in the event, Dreese was able to see how different companies from around the world use the platform and how they are using it to meet their needs through innovation. When asked about the value of winning the award and attending POWERUp18, Joseph commented, "This conference was an amazing experience that will have a lasting impact on my professional life."

Creating new educational pathways in IT

Our Mission

As technology continues to evolve at an exponential rate, so does the demand for IT professionals. This growing need presents an unprecedented opportunity for students to embark upon an educational track to prepare them for a professional career in Information Technology.