NPower Dallas Technology Service Corps Graduates First Class of Armed-Forces Veterans

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On September 11, twenty proud armed-forces veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will be the first to graduate from the NPower Dallas Technology Service Corps (TSC), an innovative, veteran-focused technology job training program launched in April 2013. Four of these new program graduates have been selected to receive special awards.

Ceremonies will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Citi facility at 6400 Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving, TX.

Retired Army Master Sergeant Duane Davis, Manager of the Dallas NPower program, said nearly all of the graduates have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, with several having been deployed more than once. These individuals were selected to participate in the TSC program from among 400 initial applicants with the help of several Texas veterans groups, including the Texas Veterans Commission.

In addition, Davis said his five-member staff is composed of four armed-services veterans and a military spouse, giving them unique insight into the challenges faced by program participants, as well as the tremendous opportunities presented by TSC.

"NPower's Technology Service Corps provides the foundation and tools to make a positive difference in the lives of veterans and their families," said Davis. "This is a great program that provides me with the opportunity to serve those who served."

Through the TSC program, graduates participated in 15 weeks of intensive class-based training, learning skills such as installing, configuring and troubleshooting computer hardware and software and providing web design and maintenance. Based on the Cisco Networking Academy, this rigorous curriculum prepares program graduates for employment in a range of technology positions, including technical, business and project analysis.

In their final seven weeks, the TSC graduates completed apprenticeships with TSC program partners, including Accenture, AmerisourceBergen, Citi, Dallas-Ft. Worth Hospital Council, Deloitte, El Centro College, Jewish Family Services, New Vision and TD Ameritrade. Additionally, support of the Dallas TSC program was generously provided by Bank of America, Citi, Dallas County Community College District, HealthMarkets, HP, JPMorgan Chase, PepsiCo, New York Life and the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.

The award-winning graduates are:

• Joseph Ouse, a five-year Army Military Policeman, received the Citi Innovation Award. He was deployed to Iraq and interned at Citi.
• Frederick Person received the JPMorgan Chase Leadership and Community Service Award. He served three years in the Army, where he was trained to repair power generation equipment. He interned with the Dallas County Community College District.
• Dimikio Osbond, a 14-year Air Force veteran, received the New York Life Commitment to Excellence Award. Osbond was trained in information management technology and served two tours in Iraq. He interned with the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
• Latrice Roman, a 12-year Army veteran and a food services supervisor, received the Bank of America Service Award. Roman was deployed to Afghanistan. She interned at Jewish Family Service.

"It's gratifying to see how this group of dedicated Americans has grown during their weeks of NPower Technology Services Corps training," said Randi Salko, a Citi Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer of ICG Operations and Technology. "Their military experience and now their technical expertise make them ideal candidates for employment."

Stephanie Cuskley, NPower Chief Executive Officer shared, "On behalf of NPower's Board of Directors, staff and many partners, we are thrilled to be working so closely with the Dallas community. The success of our TSC program is a great example of the tech community coming together for social good – which is the core of NPower's mission."

The Technology Service Corps was founded in New York City in 2002, and has since graduated over 700 underserved young adults and veterans. NPower is pleased to announce the hire of Kris Falvo as the new Dallas Regional Director, who will spearhead the Dallas expansion. NPower plans to expand the TSC program and launch a new effort in San Francisco to serve more veterans in 2014.

For more information on NPower, please go to www.npower.org.

Contact: Sherienne Jackman
Phone: 212-444-7261
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE NPower