Powering Minnesota’s Diverse Tech Workforce

TechFluent scales industry-leading technology training, mentorship and employment programs to offer in-person services to 40 individuals in Minnesota. Focused on the Minneapolis region as well as under- represented groups across the State of Minnesota, also described as adults in underserved communities who are eligible to work in the United States, 18 years of age or older at the time of enrollment who are not enrolled in any K-12 school, who are seeking employment, and are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or who are an individual of color, or who are a woman.

At TechFluent we believe everyone should benefit from Work Readiness, Credentialed Training.  It is our mission to remove barriers that prevent our fellow citizens from participating in the data-tech economy. We deliver comprehensive, comprehensible training that does not assume prior technical competencies. We believe that anyone can master the required skills, regardless of age, cultural background, or prior work experience.

Thus far, our Program Participants have enrolled as Learners with at least some college or work experience in their background, rather than students fresh out of high school. This isn’t to say that a recent high school graduate cannot be successful in our Program, we simply do not have Key Performance Indicators to inform that result. Our program, to date, has trained 200 participants in a variety of products that are part of the Microsoft technological stack. Last year we placed 60% of our graduates in roles appropriate to the training we provided.

We specialize in the Microsoft technology stack and the focus of this program will be data analytics which includes Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform, with an emphasis on Power BI.

Credentials to be awarded

PL-900 Power Platform Fundamentals

MB-910 D365 CRM Fundamentals

PL-200 Microsoft Power Platform Functional Consultant

PL-300 Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst

Approaches to Learning

TechFluent has curated a curriculum offering courses through every method of teaching style – self-paced, live and live-virtual, all supported by an on-site Program Manager providing technical support and facilitating Trainer Assistant collaboration as needed.

Self-Paced Classes through LinkedIn Learning

Our partnership with LinkedIn Learning offers comprehensive self-paced learning paths, utilizing their extensive library of online courses. This collaboration enriches our participants’ learning journey by providing access to high-quality educational content that aligns with industry standards and emerging trends. Each learner will receive a license and be required to complete the specified courses listed below. Additionally, the full LinkedIn Learning catalog will be available to them throughout the duration of the program, ensuring they have access to a wide range of resources to support their learning and professional development.

Live and Live-Virtual Classes through TechFluent Volunteer Program

Live and Live-Virtual trainers are provided through our extensive partnership with Microsoft Industry Consulting Partners and MVPs. Most are generously donating their time and expertise to deliver material they have developed and refined throughout their career, or which has been donated to TechFluent by a Leading Educator in the Industry. Occasionally, we may need to compensate a Trainer to guarantee a date, and in these cases, these Professionals are often receiving an honorarium well below their standard consulting rate.

Program Manager On-Site

To augment the self-paced learning portion of the Curriculum we will staff a Program Manager on-site and in the room with the Participants throughout the entire Program. This Program Manager will be able to answer some technical questions, but more importantly, will facilitate the Trainer Assistants and Office Hours Support Volunteers providing virtual technical collaboration with the Participants to ensure fluid and full support. When a live trainer is not present, this on-line accessibility will not stifle learning.