Paier College has received approval to offer programs in web application design and mobile application design by the Connecticut Board of Governors of Higher Education and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
Beginning with the fall semester, the Bridgeport-based college will offer as associate degree and certificate in mobile application design and a certificate program in web application design. The college also named Div Pithadia, former chief technology officer at Vertrax, to be its first chairman of web and mobile design and development.
“As we think about where the needs are in terms of jobs in our region and the types of careers our students are interested in pursuing upon graduation, it makes sense for us to offer programs that focus on the intersection of the arts and technology,” said Joseph M. Bierbaum, president of Paier College. “While website and application design were once thought of as career paths for computer science majors, as technology is streamlined, the fundamental skills necessary for these types of opportunities lend themselves well to students interested in design and marketing.:
Separately, Paier announced a partnership with The Hispanic Coalition to create a scholarship program for Bridgeport residents interested in attaining a web application design certificate. The scholarship is being funded by a grant from the City of Bridgeport through the American Rescue Plan Act.
“In our conversations with Paier College about how we could best help residents of the City of Bridgeport, we determined that creating a scholarship for a program that could have them career-ready in an in-demand field in less than a year would be the most impactful use of the funding,” said Victor Lopez, executive director of The Hispanic Coalition. “We have already awarded one scholarship to a student that began classes earlier this month, and we will put an additional 16 students through the program by end of year.”
