Downers Grove, IL (Aug. 8, 2017) — Looking to create a technology career path for millions of Americans, CompTIA today formally launched the Association of Information Technology Professionals (CompTIA AITP) as a member support and advocacy organization that will attract and develop the workforce that will shape the 21st Century economy.
“America’s Tech workforce is a national asset, and we need it to grow and develop so that the next wave of technology—smart cities, IoT, cyber security and artificial intelligence—can reach their potential,” said Nancy Hammervik, executive vice president, industry relations, CompTIA. “What CompTIA AITP represents is an organization helping tech workers of all backgrounds and education enter the workforce, grow in their skills and have successful careers.”
Starting with a national organization and chapters in 20 states, CompTIA AITP will help Americans—whether they have a college degree or not—chart a pathway to a technology career. CompTIA sees the challenge as more than just a skills gap but also a confidence gap – where many don’t think they have the background or support to be part of the technology industry.
Closing both the skills gap and confidence gap—where a diverse mix of people see a future in technology—is a role consistent with the legacy of CompTIA, which has provided certifications to 1.2 million tech workers trying to strengthen their skill sets.
CompTIA AITP takes a “resume to retirement” approach to helping tech workers in their careers with a blend of online and in-person opportunities:
- TechTalent powered by CompTIA will serve as a clearinghouse for tech jobs. There are hundreds of thousands that are regularly unfilled, including those that don’t require a college degree. Unlike traditional search engines, TechTalent delivers actionable career path information, including job-specific, detailed data on the market demand for special skills and capabilities and relates that information to individual career goals. Not only does TechTalent connect users with job postings, it also educates them on the specific skills that employers are looking for in filling these jobs and the salaries they can expect to earn.
- CompTIA AITP will help workers grow their careers through networking, connections with peers and mentors and access to a wealth of industry insight and trends. Through a partnership with Lynda.com, AITP members will have access to more than 1200 online courses, to help improve leadership and business skills, from finance and project management to communication and customer service.
- Through CompTIA AITP’s 20 “hub” chapters, members will get to expand their personal network, share and gain information from peers in their city or region and gain hands-on mentoring assistance. AITP intends to continually expand its local chapters.
- Discounts on CompTIA certifications and continued education is made available to CompTIA AITP members so they can strengthen their skill sets.
- Job Pulse is geared towards hiring managers and job seekers looking to get real-time labor data to better understand the job market. It finds what jobs are in demand, where they are and how much they pay.
- To stay on top of trends, CompTIA AITP offers a portal of white papers, presentations and reports providing updates on the technical issues, best practices and developments shaping the technology industry.
“Think about what CompTIA AITP can mean for a 25-year-old who hasn’t settled on a career. It’s a path forward in a futuristic industry,” said CompTIA’s Hammervik. “And it’s equally important to a 35-year-old who’s been in the tech industry for 10 years but wants to jumpstart his or her career. A newly launched CompTIA AITP addresses what we read about every day: Americans looking to fit in the economy and have a career path.”
CompTIA AITP is part of a trend: growing industry and government programs to provide a career path for Americans in a transitioning economy and also address the issue of unfilled technology jobs—by 2024 there is projected to be a 1.8 million open jobs in the industry. That poses an economic challenge as the new technologies emerge and there is a need for a robust and skilled workforce to maximize them.
“We know Americans are more worried now than maybe ever before about their jobs and future—especially if they don’t have a college degree. Yet, we can’t seem to find enough people to fill all the tech jobs we need,” added Hammervik. “CompTIA AITP is good for tech workers, good for the tech industry and good for the future of the economy.”
CompTIA AITP supports the organization’s mission to expand the workforce not only in numbers but skill sets. The organization has enabled over two million certifications and advocates for pro-tech worker policies that provide training and career opportunities and expand the tech workforce.
Visit here for more information on CompTIA AITP.
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About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world’s leading technology association, with approximately 2,000 member companies, 3,000 academic and training partners, over 100,000 registered users and more than two million IT certifications issued. CompTIA’s unparalleled range of programs foster workforce skills development and generate critical knowledge and insight–building the foundation for technology’s future.
