Spark Mindset and CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech team to expand and diversify the IT workforce

Training for cybersecurity support technicians and data analysts offered in CO, LA, MD and MO

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Opportunities for individuals to train for jobs in the information technology (IT) field and for employers to build their tech talent pipelines are available in four states through the joint efforts of Spark Mindset and CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech.

The organizations today announced their collaboration in a Registered Apprenticeship program designed to fill high-demand IT occupations by expanding training and certification opportunities, particularly for individuals and groups who are underrepresented in the current tech workforce.

Spark Mindset, a leading provider of career development training and apprenticeships in the cybersecurity industry, is delivering the new program to employers and individuals in Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland and Missouri.

"Spark Mindset is proud to partner with CompTIA to create an exciting new career path in cybersecurity and data analytics for individuals from disadvantage communities," said Lawrence Wagner, CEO of Spark Mindset. "Cybersecurity and Data Analytics are high wage, high demand jobs that will provide an economic impact in low-income communities, especially for BIPOC and women. This program meets our organization's mission and, at the same time, helps companies that hire our graduates create a more diverse and equitable workforce."

U.S. employers listed more than 714,500 job postings for cybersecurity job roles and skills during the 12-month period between May 2021 and April 2022, according to CyberSeek™, the leading source for data about supply and demand in the nation's cybersecurity job market.

Data analytics skills are similarly in high demand as companies seek ways to mine, analyze and interpret data in a clear and consistent manner that produces better insight, leading to more informed decision making.

"The number of job openings for cybersecurity professionals, data specialists and other tech occupations far outstrips the number of candidates," said Amy Kardel, vice president for strategic workforce relationships at CompTIA. "Employers need to embrace new methods for filling their staffing needs. Through apprenticeships they can create a consistent pipeline of new talent from a deeper, more diverse pool of candidates."

Training delivered through the apprenticeship program follows National Guideline Standards for specific tech job roles developed by CompTIA and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). The USDOL selected 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 apprenticeship in tech occupations.

Spark Mindset mission is to break the cycle of poverty through our virtual registered pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program giving families in disadvantaged communities access to quality cybersecurity and data analytics professional training to create livable wage careers and provide an innovative workforce solution to the STEM industry. Our goal is to provide 100,000 high school and adults students with opportunities for stimulating, high-paying jobs or pathways to college in the next ten years. https://www.sparkmindset.com/apprenticeship

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.

Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is 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. AIR's work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit www.air.org. AIR and CompTIA were selected by the USDOL to serve as a national Industry Intermediary for expansion of apprenticeship in tech occupations. Built according to the Registered Apprenticeship Program model. https://www.air.org/

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CompTIA
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SOURCE CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech