Koami Pedado

Tell us about your background?

Growing up with one brother from Togo, West Africa; my mother was a mathematician and believed heavily in education. When I came to America on my diversity visa, I already had a Master of Science in economics. However, I still needed to go to school to receive the same accolades as I already had coming from TOGO. When I registered for school, I decided to study computer network engineering, I then obtained my Bachelor of Science in computer science from St. Mary’s University. Lastly, I attended Inver Hills Community College and obtained two certifications to become a Cisco certified instructor. After earning my degrees and certifications I seen that computers were going to be the future and decided to create a business. I opened ElieSys Computer Services an IT consulting business and then Network Training Institute (NTI), a non-profit computer school. Both businesses are designed to work alongside with an Employment Agency. This creates our Diamond Business Model, a system of training individuals, providing internships, contractual jobs (if available), and job placement in one place so our students can be supported at their every need to be successful. 

Share about the work of NTI?

NTI’s mission is to help close the IT skills attainment gap among disadvantaged youth, new Americans, minorities, refugee populations, dislocated workers, veterans, career changers, the disabled and ex-offender. We do this by providing an on-ramp to a successful career in the field of computer networking and systems engineering. NTI has been training students since 2010 and revised the business in 2014 to accompany CISCO certified networking and computer repair teachings. Since inception students have come back and took intermediate and advanced training to receive promotions within the companies they are in. Companies request our students and give NTI rave reviews in the quality of workers they receive from our company.

What do you think are the challenges to ensure we have more tech talent in Ramsey County?

I think one of the challenges is making sure funding is reaching the places that are truly making an impact. Also, bringing funding resources and stakeholders to the table to support those systems. We think a strong network and partnership with Ramsey County or even the State of Minnesota will allow Minnesota to become one of the biggest increasing factors in engaging the target populations, training them, getting them jobs and in a little way decreasing the equity wealth gap, with training and self-determination. If you have something that works and the only thing it’s lacking is proper funding and support for the students, participants or organizations than it should be important to get them support and money where they can continue to create an impact.

Where do you see the most opportunities for residents who may have interest in a career in Tech?

I think the most opportunities lies in NTI, by how we teach and engage with our students. We support them from the enrollment and payment process, to job placement. NTI’s Vision is to create a state-of-the-art computer networking and systems management environment where students can work together on the latest remote monitoring and management (RMM) and professional services automation (PSA) technologies – the core technologies driving the rapidly growing managed service provider (MSP) market. With our new additions in employment training, basic computer training and advance computer training programs, NTI is surely to help close the IT skills attainment gap among residents to create and generate more impact and jobs.