CompTIA Newsroom

Maher & Maher and CompTIA selected by US Department of Labor to build IT apprenticeship program, expand IT career opportunities for diverse populations

Washington, D.C. – Workforce development leaders Maher & Maher and CompTIA announced today that they have launched a bold new initiative to grow the nation’s information technology (IT) workforce across industries, and increase career opportunities for diverse populations, including women, individuals with disabilities and people of color.

The two organizations were selected by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to create new career options for American workers at a time of both historic employment upheaval and heightened focus on diversity and inclusion. For employers in search of tech talent, the program will address their needs for trained and certified technology professionals. It is a part of a broader USDOL effort to expand apprenticeship opportunities in high-growth sectors of the economy.

“Apprenticeships hold great promise as a way to close the persistent gap in the supply and demand of technology workers and to do it in a way that is equitable and inclusive,” said Amy Kardel, vice president for strategic workforce relationships at CompTIA. “Apprentices receive hands-on training while earning a good salary, and companies, whether a small business, a mid-sized firm or a multi-national corporation, gain access to a rich new pool of job candidates who have demonstrated their ability and commitment to become valued contributors.”

The pipeline of U.S. technology workers is inadequate to meet projected employer demand. In 2019 alone, there were 4.6 million job openings, including 300,000 new jobs. This shortage of workers affects all industries, as 46% of technology professionals work for IT companies and 54% are employed by companies in other industries.

The new initiative led by CompTIA and Maher & Maher will be built on the Registered Apprenticeship Program model. This allows more employers to participate, providing them access to a diverse group of individuals ready to be trained for a variety of tech occupations, including IT support, network support, cyber analyst, and IT project management.

There is strong employer demand across the country for people to fill these job roles. For example, jobs for IT support specialists, which is frequently the starting point for more advanced occupations, are expected to grow by 18% over the next decade.[1] In October, employers across the U.S. posted job openings for nearly 239,000 IT positions, including IT support specialists (22,000) and IT project managers (14,000).[2]

The program brings together two organizations with years of demonstrated success in helping individuals attain their career goals and companies meet their staffing needs.

Maher is a recognized industry leader in building innovative and successful apprenticeship programs. CompTIA is the global leader in vendor-neutral technical education and certifications in a range of technology skills, with more than 2.7 million certifications awarded to technology professionals. This powerful partnership brings together the advantages of apprenticeship on a national scale to businesses in need of IT professionals, while jumpstarting thousands of new careers and increasing access to tech occupations for underrepresented groups.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org.

Media Contact

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
+1 630-678-8468
sostrowski@comptia.org