The University of Houston is looking to train the future workforce of technology sales with a new educational program.

The Sales Academy — an eight-week sales program that focuses on sales and lead generation skills for technology companies — is open to anyone who has a Bachelor's degree and an interest in technology and sales. The program aims to prepare its students for careers at startups and even large technology companies.

"We're designing this certification course to put people directly into a role that is extremely necessary for startups as they are growing and as their biggest investment needs to be in sales and lead generation roles," John Pingel, a Bauer College of Business professor who's behind the program, tells InnovationMap.

The idea for the program came out of the fact that tech companies are struggling to find employees with the skillset to sell and generate leads. Companies in Silicon Valley are finding it expensive and challenging to fill these sales roles, Pingel says, and Houston is an affordable city with tons of education opportunities.

"The city of Houston wants to attract new tech companies, and they also want to retain the companies that are starting up in town," Pingel says. "We want to play the role of sales talent."

The program, which launched its first class a week ago, will have 30 students in each class. Currently, Pingel says the program is looking for recent grads who maybe didn't find a job they are satisfied with their degree and are looking for a new path. The goal, Pingel says, is to run as many iterations per year as the organization can handle.

One of the most unique aspects of the program is its deferred tuition plan. Students can enroll in the program for free, and then The Sales Academy's team has 60 days after the program's completion to find the student a job. If the program can't place the student in time, the tuition is waived.

This initiative gives the students the financial freedom to develop new skills and start a new career. UH has seen success in the business school's Professional Excellence in Selling — a minor that prepares undergraduate students for sales position — that the school has run for 22 years. Pingel says that PES has a 98 percent placement rate for its students. Plus, The Sales Academy has worked all year to develop connections with companies interested in hiring students from the program.

"It's a risk, but it's still a calculated risk," Pingel says. "If we select the right student, and give them the right skills, that they are going to have the same type of success."