Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

This content was published: July 15, 1997. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.

New, In-Demand Software Testing Program Offered at PCC

Photos and Story by

Portland Community College, in conjunction with Intertest Labs of Redmond, Wash., is offering a new program in the Portland-metro area which trains people to test computer software products. Given the explosion of the high technology software industry, the software testing field is growing fast and holds many career opportunities. In the Portland-metro area, PCC and Intertest are offering the first and only training program for this new field.

On Thursday, July 24, Mark Kembel, general manager of Intertest Labs, will present a free seminar at PCC’s Workforce Training Center, 1626 S.E. Water Ave. (1/2 block from OMSI) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the center’s auditorium. Kembel, who has over 10 years’ experience in high technology and has worked for both Microsoft and Hewlett Packard, will analyze participants’ resumes to determine what skills and qualifications, if any, are needed to enroll in the new software testing program.

"The program was offered for the first time last fall at North Shoreline Community College in Bothell and now in the Portland-metro area by Portland Community College," said Linda Harmon, of PCC’s Computer Education Department.

The 36-hour program grants a certificate and continuing education credits. Classes will be held on weekday evenings and weekends at PCC’s Workforce Training Center in Aloha, located at the Capital Center, 18624 N.W. Walker Road, from Aug. 12 through Sept. 4.

The program requires Windows 95 experience, HTML programming and some basic programming skills using C, C++ or Visual Basic. PCC offers these classes to prepare people for the Software Testing Program.

The program is set up to simulate real-world software problems and includes hands-on lab work to gain needed skills and experience. All of the instructors are professionals in the software industry. Following completion of the training program, the Computer Education Department can help trainees connect with area software companies looking to hire software testers on contract. Software testing can lead to career advancement in many different levels, including product managers, programmers and test managers.

The college is currently accepting limited enrollments for summer and fall sessions. For more information about the free seminars or for a student information package, please call (503) 788-6295. Or, visit the following web sites: www. intertest.com andwww.computers.pcc.edu.