Techs N Training

Microsoft Show your Impact/

I love it when a plan comes together!

Hello. My name is Donna Dalton. I have been in IT for 15 years. I started taking used equipment for refurbishment about eight years ago. Software was always the biggest problem.

After many life changes, I moved back home to Scottsburg Indiana to help my mother. Problem was, I had about twenty pallets of used pcs with no where to put them and no software to reload them. Some one suggested I call the Mayor, so I did. This resulted in getting a free storage facility complements of Mayor Bill Graham, but I still had no clue what I was going to do with twenty pallets of old pcs.

Once I discovered Microsoft’s donation program through Techsoup, I discussed the situation with Mayor Graham, told him how non-profits could get donations through Microsoft. He asked me if I would like to train computer repair, I said sure.

Scott County Economic Development was the venue through which the program TechsNTraining was created. Using all donated software, we started our first CompTIA A+ Certification program for high school students in March 2008. It was an overwhelming success. Our little county has had four major factories close in the last year. So now we are also holding adult classes.

On the first day of class, the students load up the Microsoft Donated software onto used donated computers that they will use for the rest of the class. It’s actually where it all begins, the software. With out Microsoft’s donation program, this program would have never gotten off the ground!

Little did I know that Mayor Graham had a program he created called the TIE Center, (Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship) TechsNTraining was a perfect fit! Microsoft’s Donation program, Techsoup, has enabled us to enable our County Museum and not-for-profit organizations across our county to have the software they need but can not afford.

With the Certified Technicians, TechsNTraining does service work in the community, creating great part-time work and funding the program!

Through Microsoft’s Techsoup donation program, TechsNTraining was able to become a Microsoft Authorized Community Refurbisher in the MAR program. So we now run a recycling program where computers are fixed, upgraded and reloaded for donation and sale back into the community. What is not used is sent to be recycled keeping it out of the land fill. Our county has no other e-waste initiative!

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New businesses that come into the TIE Center benefit from this as well by not having to spend thousands of dollars for Computers and software!

Thanks to Microsoft’s initiative we are truly making a tangible difference in our community!

Training, jobs, service and recycling!!!

Thanks Microsoft!!

Donna Dalton

Program Director and CompTIA Certified Trainer

Visit us at www.techsntraining.org