The Community College of Allegheny County said today it will offer free non-credit, six-month online courses in health information technology. Classes for qualified applicants start Sept. 27.

The courses are part of an effort by a consortium of schools including Tidewater Community College in Hampton Roads, Va., to educate tuition-free up to 7,500 information technology professionals in a 12-state region including Pennsylvania over the next two years, CCAC said.

The consortium is supported by a $16 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

One goal is to give individuals already in the job market, or thinking about re-entering it, skills that would distinguish them. Another is to assist health institutions in adopting electronic healthcare technology and move away from paper records, CCAC said.

The 23 schools in the consortium including CCAC and Tidewater, the lead, are in locations known for their hospitals and other health care facilities, CCAC said.

The college said it will offer two core courses to qualified applicants: Implementation Manager and Trainer, to registered students in an online format.

Those who want to register or have questions can call 412-788-7396.

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