With a shortage of trained and certified IT talent, CompTIA Tech is unlocking the potential for students around the country to gain the skills needed to launch and grow a career in technology.
Technology is woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. It impacts nearly all facets of our day-to-day existence—from the way we communicate to our work, transportation, education, entertainment, healthcare, and beyond.
Businesses rely on technology as the cornerstone of their operations. Cloud computing and database services are streamlining procedures; cyber security is a top priority for companies, and automation and AI solutions are revolutionizing efficiencies. Regardless of industry, whether it’s agriculture, manufacturing, automotive, retail, tourism, or banking, today every company is a tech company.
And yet, there continues to be a significant shortage of skilled IT professionals in the US workforce.
Despite the uncertainty of our global economy, the tech job market remains robust. According to CompTIA’s analysis, while recent federal jobs reports show some slowing in hiring, employment within the IT sector remains strong. Reports from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that in the first three quarters of 2019, hiring in the tech sector was up by nearly 100,000 jobs.
Careers in IT provide sustainable wages and advancement opportunities. In fact, according to CompTIA’s Cyberstates™ data, tech jobs have a median wage of nearly $82,000—that’s almost double the median national wage across all occupations. More than a quarter of a million people are employed in the tech industry in Minnesota alone.
But while thousands of IT jobs are available, employers are struggling to find qualified, trained workers. For many, beginning a career in IT can be overwhelming. Obtaining the education, training, and certifications seems like an uphill battle and many simply don’t know where to start.
At Creating IT Futures, we believe tech careers should be accessible to anyone with a dream and passion to pursue them. As the charitable arm of CompTIA, we are dedicated to providing cutting-edge educational training, certifications and career preparedness to those seeking employment in IT. Our signature effort, the IT-Ready Technical Support Program, has trained and prepared adults for careers in technology since 2012. In fact, IT-Ready Technical Support, currently operating in the Twin Cities, won the 2019 Tekne Award for Workforce Development. We work with more than 60 local employers to connect graduates with potential job opportunities.
We aim to diversify the tech industry and open career doors to a wider demographic, particularly those who have been underrepresented in the IT workforce, such as women and people of color.
In 2020, we’re taking our educational offerings to the next level with the launch of the CompTIA Tech Career Academy.
Built on the foundation of IT-Ready, CompTIA Tech Career Academy enables us to deliver our IT-Ready Technical Support program to more people across the US. This new academy reinforces the outstanding IT-Ready curriculum, offering a combination of practical knowledge, technical expertise, soft skills development, CompTIA A+ certification, and career services.
CompTIA Tech Career Academy offers classes in brick-and-mortar locations, including Edina, Minnesota, and online . We are committed to providing tuition support and grants for our students, as we want to reduce barriers to entry for those looking to begin a career in tech.
With a shortage of trained and certified IT talent, our national program unlocks the potential for students around the country to gain the skills needed to launch and grow a career in technology.
Our focus is to bridge the IT workforce gap to provide individuals with the tools needed to succeed and companies with qualified employees. Because career opportunities should be available to anyone with a drive to succeed.
