Drexel University building cybersecurity talent pool through Registered Apprenticeship program

University's program is built on national guideline standards for cybersecurity skills and training developed by CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Career training to prepare individuals for high-demand jobs as cybersecurity support technicians is underway at Drexel University through a registered apprenticeship program approved by the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council (PATC).

Drexel's cybersecurity career training is linked to CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech, a national initiative to create employment opportunities in the technology workforce for people from a diversity of backgrounds, while simultaneously helping employers fill current and long-term tech staffing needs.

"The rise of nontraditional earn-and-learn apprenticeships such as cybersecurity creates access and opportunity for all, no matter where one may be on their academic and career continuum," said Kena Sears-Brown, director of Continuing Professional Education & Workforce Initiatives at Drexel's Goodwin College of Professional Studies.

Cybersecurity support technicians play an essential role in safeguarding all aspects of their employers' information technology (IT) systems.

"These frontline cyber professionals maintain and secure networks, apps and websites, defending against phishing and other threats to keep everyone and everything working securely," said Amy Kardel, senior vice president, workforce relations, CompTIA. "This experience is great preparation for more advanced roles in cybersecurity."

Drexel's apprenticeship program comes at a time when demand is soaring for cybersecurity workers. U.S. employers listed nearly 770,000 job postings for cybersecurity job roles and skills during the 12-month period ending in September 2022, according to data from CyberSeek™, the cybersecurity workforce analytics platform. That total included more than 13,000 openings in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and nearly 25,000 across Pennsylvania.

Training for cybersecurity support technicians delivered by Drexel follows National Guideline Standards for the job role developed by CompTIA and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). Apprentices receive on-the-job experience and classroom instruction in the foundations of technology, including how to detect cyber threats and implement changes to protect an organization.

The USDOL selected the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health and the workforce, and CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce, to serve as a national Industry Intermediary for expansion of apprenticeships in tech occupations. The registration and development of Drexel Universities Cybersecurity Support Technician program is supported by the Apprenticeship and Training Office within the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

About Drexel University

Drexel is a comprehensive global R1-level research university with a unique model of experiential learning that combines academic rigor with one of the nation's premier cooperative education programs. The University fulfills its founder's mission of preparing each new generation of students for productive professional and civic lives while also focusing the University's collective expertise on solving society's greatest problems. Goodwin College of Professional Studies is the home of lifelong learning for adult learners who want to finish their degree or make a career pivot into a new industry. The Skills Hub, the College's lifelong learning community, serves adult learners who have diverse career and academic journeys, preparing them to start, pivot or advance in their careers though earning industry  certifications, completing workforce bootcamp programs and registered apprenticeships. For more information about Drexel's Cybersecurity Support Technician registered apprenticeship, please contact [email protected]

About CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech

CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech is a national initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to increase the number of skilled technology workers and expand tech career opportunities for diverse populations, including women, individuals with disabilities and people of color. https://www.comptia.org/content/lp/apprenticeships-for-tech.

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CompTIA
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SOURCE CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech