Press Releases

Arapahoe/Douglas Works! and CompTIA Partner to Assist Displaced Workers Through Free IT Training Program

Nov 24, 2020

Centennial, Colo. – Many individuals in the local workforce who have been displaced due to the COVID-19 effect on the economy find themselves in need of new skills or career paths to be more competitive as they re-enter the workforce. To help displaced workers gain new skills and sustainable wages, Arapahoe/Douglas Works! is partnering with CompTIA to launch a free, four-week online training course that will prepare county residents to pass the CompTIA A+ certification exam, helping launch careers in IT and build a talent pipeline for the business community.

The CompTIA A+ certification program teaches cutting-edge fundamentals of computer hardware and software including how to troubleshoot a wide range of devices from computers to smartphones. It is trusted by employers around the world and opens up job opportunities in tech support roles in security, cloud and data management including Service Desk Analyst, Help Desk Tech, Desk Support Administrator and System Support Specialist.

"Providing training opportunities to displaced workers is a hallmark of the Arapahoe/Douglas Works! program and is more critical than ever before in the wake of the COVID crisis,” said Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Division Manager Kelly Folks. “The County is proud to provide Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to support economic recovery of our residents and businesses across the county.”

Information technology is a thriving industry with the pandemic forcing the world to communicate, learn and do business in a virtual space.

“The CompTIA Tech Career Academy’s custom training workforce development programs are designed to give the unemployed with little or no technology experience the necessary technical skills to get IT certified and land an IT job,” said Mark Plunkett, Senior Director, Training Operations & Business Development, CompTIA Tech Career Academy. “To succeed in IT, it is critical to have the proper foundation and passing the CompTIA A+ certification is the first step.”

The program is taught by a CompTIA instructor who provides real-time support and incudes the course materials. Those who successfully complete the course receive job placement assistance from CompTIA career services.

About Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
ADW! provides no-cost services to job seekers through an array of tools to support local jobseekers, including offering resources and workshops for a self-directed job search, one-on-one employment counseling, and training assistance. To learn more about Arapahoe County CARES Act Funding, visit https://www.arapahoegov.com/2110/Arapahoe-County-CARES

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce.

About CompTIA Tech Career Academy
As a non-profit, 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 in order to grow the tech workforce. CompTIA Tech is a nonprofit subsidiary of Creating IT Futures Foundation, a 501c3 charitable organization. Creating IT Futures, in turn, is a subsidiary of the nonprofit, international tech trade association, CompTIA. Learn more at CompTIATech.org.