IT certification training available through new grant

IT certification grant
College of Computer and Information Technology

St. Petersburg College’s Workforce Institute is an approved educational provider for the new Tampa Bay TechHire program, which provides certification grants for free accelerated training and paid work experience opportunities to over 1,000 youth and young adults in high-growth industries. SPC will provide the free training in all IT related certifications, including CompTIA A+, Networking, IT Security, Java Programming and Web Development.

Along with any program-specific requirements for application, applicants for the TechHire grant must:
• Be between the ages of 17-29
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Be unemployed or underemployed

IT certification grants

Training will be offered on multiple campuses, or with sufficient enrollments, may be provided at local schools.The grant covers tuition, as well as lab and certification fees, for the eligible students.

Fred Tucker, Program Coordinator for Information and Innovative Technologies at St. Petersburg College, said the program is growing rapidly.

“March will be our best month yet,” Tucker said, “with new students enrolling in IT certification training. I expect the enrollment numbers to grow during the next several months.”

Tucker also noted the demand for workers with IT certifications.

“Our digital world is expanding so quickly that it’s creating IT jobs and openings faster than the right people can be found to fill them,” he said. “Besides having low unemployment levels, IT jobs pay well with salaries that are significantly higher than the national average. The outlook is good, too: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the availability of IT jobs is projected to grow by 17 percent through 2022.”

An IT certification puts applicants ahead of the crowd.

“Having a certification in your hand boosts your resume and is an increasingly compelling credential when you’re applying for a job,” Tucker said.

For more information regarding applying to the program or bringing the program to your organization, contact Fred Tucker at 727-791-2409, or tucker.fred@spcollege.edu.

For information on all other training available, please visit SPC’s Workforce Institute, or contact us at (727) 341-4445 or at workforce@spcollege.edu.