Washington, D.C., – CompTIA’s Executive Vice President for Public Advocacy Cinnamon Rogers today issued the following statement applauding an effort in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Andy Levin (D-MI) and signed by 49 additional Representatives, to provide $15.1 billion for our nation’s workforce development system in the next COVID-19 stimulus package:
“With record unemployment numbers being released weekly, at no time in our history has there been such a critical need for smart government policies and federal funding aimed at helping people who’ve lost their jobs. To that end, we strongly support the current effort led by Representatives Bonamici and Levin to provide $15.1 billion in the next relief package for our nation’s workforce development programs.
“An effective way to get Americans working again is through investment in training and certification programs that upskill and reskill our workforce, especially in critical sectors of our economy such as information technology. If there is one thing that’s been made abundantly clear through this crisis, it’s how vitally important trained and qualified IT professionals are for healthcare providers and first responders, educators and students, government officials and those who are the most vulnerable to keep us safe, secure and informed.
“By dedicating federal funding to workforce programs, individuals from all backgrounds, including veterans, minorities and underserved communities, can gain the skills required for their next job, including through virtual training and real-world, task-driven virtual apprenticeships. And based on data collected from CompTIA’s Creating IT Futures Foundation, given an opportunity, displaced workers can become job ready in as little as eight weeks.
“We applaud Representatives Bonamici and Levin for leading the effort to dedicate over $15.1 billion for displaced workers, with specific considerations for adult employment and training activities, dislocated work grants and WIOA Youth Workforce Investment Activities. The backbone of our economy is our workforce and this next relief package will be essential to helping individuals get the skills they need for that next job and get our economy moving again.”
Read CompTIA’s letter to Congressional leadership supporting the inclusion of stimulus funding for workforce development here.
About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 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 to learn more.
About CompTIA Public Sector & Advocacy
CompTIA supports policies that positively impact the ability of the IT industry to develop, manufacture, and sell solutions in the global marketplace. We work to promote investment and innovation, market access, effective cybersecurity, consistent privacy regulation, streamlined procurement, and research and development. As the leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications, we also support efforts to promote a well-trained technical workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.
Steve Ostrowski
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
(630) 678 - 8468
[email protected]
Roger Hughlett
Director, Corporate Communications
(202) 503 - 3644
[email protected]
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Access Now$2 trillion – Estimated direct economic impact of the U.S. tech industry, representing 8.8% of the national economy.
582,000 – Number of tech business establishments in the U.S.
9.1 million – U.S. net tech employment at the end of 2022.
286,400 – Estimated number of new technology jobs added in the U.S. in 2022.
4.1 million – Number of postings by U.S. employers for tech job openings during 2022.
