IT Industry Applauds Obama's Plan for Free Community College and American Technical Training Fund

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Jan. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CompTIA and its philanthropic arm, the Creating IT Futures Foundation, issued the following statement today in support of President Obama's plan for free community college and work-based learning opportunities.

Under President Obama's new proposal, responsible students would be able to earn the first half of a bachelor's degree, or earn the technical skills needed in the workforce – all at no cost to them. The President also proposed the new American Technical Training Fund, which will expand innovative, high-quality technical training programs across the country.

"Through our IT-Ready Program and our work with Chicago's Early College STEM Schools, we've seen first-hand how industry can partner with public educators and the training community to get students the knowledge and training they need to build life-long careers," said Charles Eaton, CEO of the Creating IT Futures Foundation. "We're already inventing better on-ramps to IT careers, and we welcome the White House's support to help America's workforce access high-growth careers like information technology."

"In our IT-Ready program, for example, we train out-of-work adults in technical and soft-skills free of charge, with nearly 95 percent earning their CompTIA A+ certification and 80 percent moving into paid IT roles with area companies after graduation," he continued.

"The American Dream derails early for many high school students because they don't successfully transition to higher education or a skills-based certification — two paths to solid careers," added Eaton. "Chicago is one of America's leading cities to recognize how high schools, colleges and industry can get youth ready for a career without incurring expensive tuition. Through a grant from the Chicago Workforce Funders Alliance, we're helping students at Chicago's five Early College STEM Schools gain on-the-job skills and related work experience, as part of a six-year program that allows students to graduate from high school with an associate degree in IT. To contextualize the classroom learning, the Creating IT Futures Foundation and its partner Lumity are developing work-based learning experiences for these students, including project-based learning, mentorships and summer internships."

"With upwards of 500,000 open IT jobs in the U.S., the need for IT workers is profound, so the proposals outlined by the President can have a positive impact in filling these jobs," said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA. "Through the CompTIA Authorized Partner Program for Academy Partners, we're working with academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government retraining agencies to help students acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and credentials for a successful career in IT."

About the Creating IT Futures Foundation 
The Creating IT Futures Foundation 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. 

About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world's IT industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications and public policy advocacy. To learn more visit CompTIA online, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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SOURCE Creating IT Futures Foundation

Related Links

http://www.creatingITfutures.org

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