Transitioning Military, Vets, Spouses Receive Enrollment Preference for New, Free, Online Tech Training Course

Creating IT Futures (http://www.creatingitfutures.org) is taking its successful classroom-based IT-Ready class online this year, allowing adults who can’t attend one of the program’s classrooms in person to still get entry-level training and launch their tech careers.

With financial support from Cognizant U.S. Foundation (https://cognizantusfoundation.org/) and CompTIA (http://www.comptia.org) and a partnership with Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/) , IT-Ready will give preference in the applicant pool to military veterans, transitioning military and military spouses. The classes are underwritten by grants and financial donations, so that all students can attend for free.

Online students work toward CompTIA A+ certification (https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/a) in the IT-Ready Technical Support class, building toward a first job on a IT help desk. They receive free tuition, learning materials, 180 hours of tech and soft skills training, and certification vouchers. The online classes are run by a live instructor, who shares material in a lecture format but leaves plenty of time for questions, group discussions and one-on-one student attention.

“While a classroom environment allows you to more fully immerse yourself in the learning experience, not everyone can get to a physical classroom every day for class. With our new online training program, people wishing to enter the tech industry can get the education and certifications they need while still interacting with a live instructor,” said Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures. “More than 800,000 IT jobs are open in the United States, and IT jobs on average pay more than 124 percent higher than the national average wage. With the additional of our online program to our classrooms in seven cities, more Americans can get the training they need to fill these jobs, gain an upwardly mobile career, and earn family-sustaining wages.”

Students can apply to one of the four IT-Ready Online classes this year at https://www.creatingitfutures.org/apply. No previous experience is necessary, and only a high school diploma or GED is required. The first set of online classes will begin on May 13 with applications due by April 15. The morning classes run from 8:00-11:00 a.m. ET, and the evening classes run from 6:00-9:00 p.m. ET. Online classes run every Monday-Friday for 12 weeks.

With classrooms available in Charlotte, NC; Chicago; Minneapolis – St. Paul; Phoenix; Portland, OR; San Antonio and San Diego, and also now available online, IT-Ready trains, certifies and places unemployed and under-employed adults in their first jobs in the information technology (IT) field. Creating IT Futures especially encourages women, people of color and veterans to apply to IT-Ready.

“With our online course, we’re particularly recruiting veterans, transitioning military and military spouses to apply. In IT-Ready, veterans of all occupational backgrounds and life experiences can be trained quickly to successfully enter the IT workforce – even if they don’t have prior IT experience,” added Eaton.

Veterans possess skills in high demand by the private sector – such as discipline, maturity, perseverance, and the ability to think critically, solve problems and work effectively with others. IT-Ready offers veterans the chance to identify and fill in any gaps in training required for employment in civilian positions.

IT-Ready also is open to military spouses, as they can gain career skills that can accompany them as they transfer for duty assignments.

Beyond recruiting for participants for IT-Ready training, Creating IT Futures is looking for businesses to consider the resumes of certified IT-Ready graduates and interview qualified candidates for entry-level IT positions. Interested employers can contact learn more at: https://www.creatingitfutures.org/hire/hire-overview.

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 (http://www.creatingitfutures.org/) .