Dive Brief:
- CompTIA will expand its tech training portfolio in the next 12 months, adding 10 new programs to its roster and refreshing five existing certifications, the IT training organization announced Wednesday.
- The rollout, which begins this quarter, will include courses in AI, business and soft skills essentials, as well as an advanced AWS Practitioner Pro certification and a DataX credential for data science professionals. CompTIA plans to announce specific launch dates in the coming weeks.
- To keep up with current trends in enterprise IT, CompTIA+ certifications in network, cloud, and penetration testing are scheduled for updates, and the CASP+ cybersecurity and IT fundamentals credentials will be refreshed and rebranded as SecurityX and Tech+, respectively.
Dive Insight:
As digital transformation spreads across the private and public sectors, sourcing cloud, coding, cyber, data and engineering talent remains a persistent challenge, slowing enterprise modernization and compounding workforce woes.
Cloud skills gaps exacerbate existing security risks, PwC found, and AI implementation plans hinge on availability of data analytics and engineering talent. Meanwhile, cybersecurity organizations still need another 4 million employees, according to ISC2.
With generative AI enthusiasm deepening demand for technologists, upskilling existing staff onsite and through professional IT certifications has become the standard solution for companies that can’t afford to wait for the talent pool to expand.
The skills squeeze is unlikely to let up.
The unemployment rate for technologists fell to 1.7% in November, its lowest point since last January, according to CompTIA’s analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly data.
Enterprise reliance on workforce training initiatives and certifications is expected to intensify in the coming year, Claire Rutkowski, SVP and CIO Champion at Bentley Systems, stressed during a CIO Dive virtual event last month.
CompTIA's training roster focuses on broad digital fluency as well as vendor-specific capabilities. Learning modules in AI, cloud and productivity software are designed to be paired with business essentials, the announcement said.
While refreshes are not uncommon, major reconfigurations have been rare for CompTIA, the company said via email.
The CompTIA Pro series, a new category of offerings, will differ from the current line of CompTIA+ programs, according to the release, by aligning more closely with product and vendor certification programs.
Along with AWS Practitioner Pro, CompTIA will introduce Full Stack and AutoCode Pro certification programs in the coming months.
