As the number of technology job openings continues to grow across North Carolina’s Triangle region, and with more on the way as two tech giants expand their local footprints, the CompTIA Tech Career Academy (CTCA) is ready to help area residents join the tech workforce.
CTCA is bringing its signature IT training program to a new campus in Raleigh (112 Cox Ave., Suite 202). With just eight weeks of full-time training, CTCA can prepares adults 18 and older for entry-level positions in tech.
“Technology is the lifeblood of every business right now, not just tech companies,” said Nancy Hammervik, CEO of CompTIA Tech Career Academy. “Any industry, any business, is made more efficient, more effective and more competitive through technology. For companies to grow and advance, they need a knowledgeable and capable tech staff. CompTIA Tech Career Academy can provide those IT professionals.”
Nearly 39,000 tech jobs are unfilled in North Carolina, according to the N.C. Technology Association — 11,000 more than just one year ago. And with Google opening a new cloud engineering hub in Durham and Apple accelerating construction on its $1-billion campus in Research Triangle Park, that number likely will skyrocket.
At CTCA, participants learn hardware and software skills ranging from building a computer from scratch to setting up and managing a network. They also learn critical professional skills, such as workplace etiquette, communication and customer service.
At the end of the classroom instruction students sit for the CompTIA A+ certification exam, a vendor-neutral certification that’s become the IT industry’s preferred qualifying credential for entry-level tech roles. CTCA also offers its students career placement services with opportunities to connect with a network of 100+ employer partners.
CTCA especially seeks to recruit people under-represented in the tech industry now, including people of color, women and veterans. No previous tech experience is necessary. Participants need only possess a high-school diploma or GED.
“Tech careers should be accessible to anyone ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work,” Hammervik said. “Many of our students are unemployed or underemployed. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to entry, so grants and loans are available to ease financial constraints for students looking to attend CTCA and begin their IT career journey.”
According to the most recent data available from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for working on a help desk is $26.69 per hour or $55,510 per year. Jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 8 percent, much faster than average.
The large majority of people who work in tech began their careers in a help desk support role. There, they gained valuable experience in many aspects of tech, including networking, cloud infrastructure, servers and cybersecurity – and often advance to specializations in these areas and others greater work responsibility and higher income.
Businesses that hire CTCA graduates gain dedicated and diverse employees for their entry-level openings. In addition to hiring graduates, businesses can support CTCA by offering career insight to participants, and by providing financial assistance so that more economically underprivileged students can enroll. Learn more here.
The Raleigh campus is accepting applications now through Nov. 19 for the next training session taking place Jan. 18 through March 14. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.comptiatech.org/admissions/apply.
CTCA will host a virtual open house on Tuesday, Nov. 9, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. (ET) during which representatives will provide information on
- What employers want in tech job candidates and how CTCA can connect you to companies ready to hire.
- Grants and financial aid options available to qualifying candidates to make tech training more accessible.
- How the program prepares participants for the CompTIA A+ exam, a tech industry certification many employers desire in job candidates.
- The career services and job resources available to CTCA graduates at every stage of their careers.
For more information about the open house or to register, visit
https://connect.comptia.org/events/view/ctca-virtual-open-house
About CompTIA Tech Career Academy
A non-profit organization, CompTIA Tech Career Academy trains and prepares adults for certification and success in IT jobs. Its sole motivation is to help students land and thrive in IT jobs to grow the tech workforce. CTCA is a subsidiary of Creating IT Futures Foundation, a workforce philanthropic organization of the nonprofit and internationally respected tech trade association, CompTIA. Learn more at CompTIATech.org.
Media Contact
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
sostrowski@comptia.org
+1 630.678.8468
SOURCE CompTIA Tech Career Academy
