STEM

Tulsa CC Program Aims to Expand and Diversify IT Workforce

• By Rhea Kelly
• 08/03/21

Tulsa Community College (TCC) is teaming up with the CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech program in an effort to increase the number of skilled information technology workers in Oklahoma and expand IT career opportunities to underrepresented populations. CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech is a national initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and led by CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce, and human resource consulting and organizational development company Maher & Maher.

The program combines classroom learning with on-the-job training via paid apprenticeships, and will focus on workforce-ready skills in two in-demand IT occupations: cybersecurity and network support. It's built on the Registered Apprenticeship Program model, a Department of Labor program that defines apprenticeship as an "industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential."

"Apprenticeships are a proven method for building skills and preparing people to enter the workforce," commented Scott Mueller, secretary of commerce and workforce development for the State of Oklahoma, in a statement. "This partnership will provide Oklahomans family-sustaining jobs in tech and employers the highly skilled and qualified talent they need for continued economic growth."

"We are honored to have Tulsa Community College join us in this effort to open IT career opportunities to more people and to help Oklahoma employers build a strong pipeline of tech talent now and for the future," said Amy Kardel, vice president for strategic workforce relationships at CompTIA. "Apprenticeships are a proven method for building skills and preparing people for employment. The training regimens that we have developed and that TCC will implement are designed to produce candidates with the right mix of technical and business skills required in today's digital age."