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Free IT core skills training will be offered through MSP TechHire initiative

Minneapolis – Up to 80 residents of the Twin Cities region will receive training in the fundamentals of information technology (IT) through a new program offered jointly by the City of Minneapolis, Employment and Training Division, CompTIA, the leading nonprofit association for the global IT industry, and other program partners.

The latest offering from Minneapolis Saint Paul Tech Hire will provide eligible adults age 18 and older with 14 weeks of tuition-free training to prepare them for technical and sales jobs, as well as opportunities for more advanced training in coding, customer support and network administration.

“One of CompTIA’s primary missions is to develop, encourage and welcome new members to the global community of IT professionals,” said Jason Mangold, global workforce development manager at CompTIA. “We are grateful to the City of Minneapolis for including CompTIA in this training program, and for the opportunity to help people achieve their career aspirations.”

A key element of the program is instruction in CompTIA IT Fundamentals (CompTIA ITF+), a unique pre-career certification that helps people determine if they have a competency for IT and whether a career in tech is right for them. Many individuals have used CompTIA ITF+ as a first step toward a career in IT, while others have benefitted simply by broadening their knowledge of technology.

“Even in the nation’s current economic and employment climate employers in virtually  every industry need skilled and certified IT professionals to keep their networks and websites running, their employees connected and their data, devices and systems secure,” said Mark Plunkett, senior director, training operations and business development, with the CompTIA Career Training Academy.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area is the 14^th largest market in the country for net tech employment, with approximately 200,000 workers, according to Cyberstates 2020™, the definitive guide to the U.S. tech industry, occupations and trends published by CompTIA. During the first quarter of 2020, employers in the Twin Cities market advertised job openings for nearly 20,000 IT positions, including software developers, computer systems analysts, computer user support specialists, and other IT occupations.[1]

CompTIA offers best-in-class, instructor-led training, both on-site and in a virtual environment, to bolster the workforce development initiatives of  corporations, academic institutions, government entities, and nonprofit organizations. Visit CompTIA Custom Training for more information.

The Minnesota training program is funded by a two-year, $450,000 Pathways to Prosperity Competitive Grant from the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development. The first class is scheduled to begin on June 15 with all instruction delivered online, along with Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota’s Career Navigation support services. Anyone interested in learning more about the program should visit http://www.minneapolismn.gov/cped/metp/techhire and complete the IT Core Skills Interest Form.

CompTIA is the global leader in vendor-neutral technical education and certifications in skills ranging from IT support and networking to cybersecurity and cloud computing. Nearly 2.7 million CompTIA certifications have been awarded to technology professionals in 232 countries around the world. Visit https://www.comptia.org/certifications to learn more.

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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 to learn more.

Contact:

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
[email protected]­
www.comptia.org