CompTIA: Start Training for IT Help Desk Positions

Train for IT positions in this downturn economy.

So says CompTIA, which on Tuesday announced upcoming online classes for IT help desk training. The CompTIA Tech Career Academy is taking applications for classes that start on Jan. 11. The classes are part of the organization’s IT-Ready Technical Support program, which prepares students for the CompTIA A+ certification exam. The certification will help students get IT help desk positions.

CompTIA’s Charles Eaton

“We recommend that new tech workers start on the IT help desk where they’ll get to see how all the different parts of a business come together and how technology helps those parts run more efficiently,” CompTIA Tech CEO Charles Eaton said. “From the help desk, then people can better envision how they want to grow their tech careers. Our IT-Ready Technical Support program prepares our graduates to be ready for IT help desk jobs.”

Students don’t need prior experience or education to join the program. It also offers scholarships and tuition credits for underrepresented communities, veterans and those living below the poverty line.

U.S. Job Market

Eaton said there are more than 650,000 open tech jobs in the U.S.

CompTIA recently noted that tech companies added approximately 9,200 workers in August. But new tech positions decreased across the board for a second month. However, IT occupations feature a 4.6 unemployment rate that is significantly lower than the 8.4 national rate, according to CompTIA.

Unemployed adults or people who want a new career would do well to train for IT positions, CompTIA said. A June CompTIA survey of 231 executives gave a mildly optimistic outlook for the technology industry, despite the hard-hit economy.

Channel Futures noted this summer that tech layoffs began to slow in June.