Creating IT Futures Opens Free IT Training & Career Program for Adults in DuPage County

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Adults in DuPage County can now apply to Creating IT Futures' free IT-Ready career program. IT-Ready trains, certifies and places unemployed and under-employed adults in their first jobs in the information technology (IT) field, which has a shortage of qualified workers. More than 30,000 tech jobs are open in the greater Chicago area. For the first time, IT-Ready will host a 14-week class in Naperville starting October 1. Applications will be accepted through September 12 at www.ITReady.com.

In the IT-Ready CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist (CSIS) class, students initially work toward CompTIA A+ certification as in Creating IT Futures' IT-Ready Technical Support class, but then receive additional training to complete their CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certification.

The full-time classroom-based course is underwritten by grants and financial donations, so that students can attend classes for free. Prospective students must live in or have last worked in DuPage County, Illinois; they can find out if they are eligible for free training through the workNet DuPage Career Center. The workNet DuPage Career Center of DuPage County is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Creating IT Futures is an approved training provider and IT-Ready CSIS is an approved training program of the workNet DuPage Career Center.

"Beyond the training and certifications, our employer relationship manager will work with the students to connect them to local employers," said Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures.  "About 86% of our graduates across all our IT-Ready programs find full-time employment in the tech industry." 

What Do IT-Ready Students Learn?

In the IT-Ready program, students use group activities, classroom discussion, interactive labs, role playing and hands-on training to prepare for all three certification exams. Students receive instruction in the following technical areas:

• Computer hardware, laptops and mobile devices,
• Operating system software including, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008,
• Application software MS Office 2010,
• Computer assembly, troubleshooting strategies and repair methods,
• Internet and networking,
• Network implementation, support, media, topologies, protocols and standards, and
• Network security, compliance and operational security, threats and vulnerabilities, application/data/host security and identity management.

IT-Ready students also receive targeted professional development in key business "soft" skills such as professional communication and presentation, teamwork and collaboration, and critical thinking and problem solving. IT-Ready graduates are grounded in these key skills and prepared to apply them on day one of their new jobs. After completing their training, the students sit for the CompTIA A+ certification exam which covers desktop and help-desk technical support duties and skills.

IT-Ready students receive free tuition, books and learning materials, more than 240 hours of classroom and hands-on tech and soft skills training, and certification vouchers. 

The class in DuPage County will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every weekday until January 11 with holidays on November 22-23 and December 24-January 1. To demonstrate their commitment to the training and pursuing an IT career, IT-Ready students are allowed only one absence and two late days during the program. The class will be held at Illinois BIS, 1100 E Warrenville Road, Suite #150, Naperville, IL 60563.

Beyond recruiting for participants for IT-Ready training, Creating IT Futures is looking for Chicago businesses to consider the resumes of certified IT-Ready graduates and interview qualified candidates for entry-level IT positions. Interested employers should contact Anderson Lee at [email protected].

Potential employers, mentors, students and community partners can learn more at www.ITReady.com.

About Creating IT Futures
Founded in 1998 by CompTIA, Creating IT Futures is a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission of helping populations under-represented in the information technology industry and individuals who are lacking in opportunity to prepare for, secure, and be successful in IT careers. Learn more at www.creatingITfutures.org. 

Media Contact:
Lisa Fasold                                                          
Creating IT Futures                         
630-678-8558
[email protected] 

SOURCE Creating IT Futures

Related Links

http://www.creatingitfutures.org