University College of the North Sets Students on Path to Success with Technology from Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) today announced University College of the North (UCN), located in Manitoba, Canada, has selected HPE Nimble Storage dHCI technology as the foundation for its IT training course, the Information Technology Readiness North (InTeRN) Project. UCN selected the solution because it can be easily managed and accessed, supports specific IT training needs, and can be used by students in a lab environment. UCN joins a growing number of companies that have selected HPE Nimble Storage dHCI to deliver breakthrough simplicity and efficiency. In Q2 earnings results, HPE announced that HPE Nimble Storage dHCI continues to see ongoing momentum, with 250 percent revenue growth year-over-year.

UCN serves a student body of over 2,000, 70 percent of whom are Indigenous, in classrooms that span two main campuses and 12 regional training centers – nine of them being in First Nation communities. Curriculum includes standard university courses, on-site trade programs and online courses. As the only university serving the immediate area, UCN needed a scalable solution that is simple to install and maintain, with no downtime, to greatly improve the faculty and student experience. HPE Nimble Storage dHCI was selected to eliminate complexity and implement a reliable environment, with guaranteed availability, unmatched performance, and simplified management.

“Life in the north is very different compared to other regions, and because of those differences, our IT program is imagining a structure unlike any other IT training currently in practice,” said William McBride, project consultant and IT educator, University College of the North. “Thanks to HPE Nimble Storage dHCI, myself and other educators working on this program will also have the confidence of a system supporting our workloads with built-in data protection.”

As the first program of its kind in the area, the InTeRN Project is designed to educate students interested in IT careers, with a focus on training local women from northern Manitoba for entry-level IT jobs. Empowering women to pursue a career in IT is a key initiative for UCN, and the InTeRN Project will provide entry-level IT certification without students having to commit to leaving their communities and support structures. These classes are initially intended to provide easy access to IT training for young women and mothers, with the goal of eliminating social barriers and help empower women with traditional knowledge woven into their IT education, coupled with income-generating work practicums.