Press Releases

Initiative led by CompTIA and Maher & Maher aims to expand, diversify the US tech workforce

WASHINGTON, D.C. – CompTIA and Maher & Maher, partners in a new national apprenticeship initiative designed to diversify and expand the technology workforce across America, announced today that CityWorks DC has joined the skills and career building effort.

CityWorks DC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people growing up in the District of Columbia secure meaningful work that can support a family, build personal wealth and drive economic growth in the region.

“CityWorks DC, CompTIA and Maher & Maher have a shared vision for the future: DC residents, especially underrepresented populations, securing high-wage, high-demand careers in technology,” said Lateefah Durant, vice president for innovation at CityWorks DC. “This partnership will provide local residents with greater access to family-sustaining jobs in IT through expanding opportunities for Registered Apprenticeship.

“We know that developing an equitable, diverse and inclusive tech talent pipeline is a good business strategy — and an imperative for our community,” Durant continued. “CityWorks DC looks forward to adding to their occupation choices using CompTIA’s National Guideline Standards and engaging with CompTIA’s vast network of employers to meet their talent needs with individuals ready for work and eager to contribute to the bottom-line.”

CompTIA and Maher & Maher were selected by the U.S. Department of Labor to lead this apprenticeship initiative and grow the number of workers trained and certified to fill high-demand tech positions, especially groups that are under-represented in the tech workforce, including women, people of color and individuals with disabilities.  

The Labor Department has approved National Guideline Standards for Registered Apprenticeship Programs in three entry-level job roles – tech support specialist, network support specialist and cybersecurity support technician. These three job roles, with others to follow, form the basis for the CompTIA Apprenticeship for Tech framework.

DC will help with the recruitment of Washington area organizations interested in hiring apprentices to enhance their internal technology staffs.

“We can demonstrate to employers of any size and from any industry that by investing in training through apprenticeship they can gain access to a diverse pool of candidates and create a predictable pipeline to meet their tech hiring needs,” said Amy Kardel, vice president for strategic workforce relationships at CompTIA.

Employer demand for tech talent and career opportunities for individuals remain strong across much of the country. CompTIA’s newly published Cyberstates 2021™report projects growth in net tech employment across 48 states this year, with 245,000 net new tech jobs created in areas such as IT support, cybersecurity and other technology infrastructure-related positions.[1] This demand for technology workers includes the Washington, D.C., metro area. According to CompTIA’s latest Tech Jobs Report, D.C. employers advertised job openings for nearly 17,000 core technology positions in March.

For more information on the program visit www.comptia.org/content/lp/apprenticeships-for-tech.

About CityWorks DC
CityWorks DC is an entrepreneurial non-profit venture sponsored by CityBridge Education. CityWorks DC’s mission is to reshape education-to-employment pathways in Washington, DC, by mobilizing key stakeholders and resources in order to dramatically increase the number of DC young people who secure the family-sustaining jobs available in our growing regional economy. Our vision is that all young people in DC have the “social mobility trifecta”: 1) valuable certifications and credentials, 2) paid, relevant work experience, and 3) a supportive professional network. To provide this trifecta to all students, especially those who are marginalized and historically overlooked, CityWorks DC focuses its work on redesigning how young people experience high school, postsecondary, and early employment. To accomplish this bold vision, CityWorks DC’s theory of change has two complementary strands: 1) launch a targeted set of innovative programs that work directly with young people and 2) lead systems-level initiatives that create the conditions for CityWorks programs and others to thrive and spark citywide reform across K12, postsecondary, and employment.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 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.

About Maher & Maher
Maher & Maher is a talent development firm that helps organizations view their work through the eye of their customer. We partner with our clients in identifying ways to improve workflows, align resources, and develop people to excel at fulfilling the needs of the customers they serve. Maher provides key services essential to organizational success, including business integration, change management, performance management, continuous improvement, and workforce and talent development. In combination these help organizations work in an aligned fashion, producing efficiency, increasing workforce capacity and engagement, and achieving desired outcomes. We go one step further by assisting in the creation of a talent pipeline prepared to do the work using proven skill development strategies, including apprenticeships, work-based learning, and formal and informal training solutions.  Maher & Maher is now a wholly owned affiliate of the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), dedicated to providing top-quality research and technical assistance, and with AIR, is exceptionally positioned to contribute to the complex challenges facing society. Visit www.mahernet.com.

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