Closing the IT Skills Gap with CompTIA A+

Leading tech industry association offers free networking event on 14^th March

LONDON, March 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CompTIA, the leading trade association for the global technology industry, will host a free networking event on 14^th March to explore how professional certifications can help the nation's employers to close gaps in their tech workforces.

The free event at The Skyloft, 28th Floor, Millbank Tower in London, will also serve as a launch party for the new CompTIA A+ certification, an important stepping stone to cyber careers as well as a key contributor to many apprenticeship programmes.

A 2018 CompTIA research report presented sobering data on the extent of the technology skills gap across the UK. Nine in ten employers have witnessed the skills gap first-hand; and almost half of employers believe that the gap is growing, with three-quarters expressing a level of concern over the skills shortage.

"This is not just limited to the traditional IT industry," said Graham Hunter, CompTIA's vice president for skills certifications in Europe and the Middle East. "Technology is an essential element in all sectors of business, but without the proper skills, a company's ability to compete and innovate can be impacted in a negative way. The promising news is that through proper training and certification these skills gaps can be minimized if not eliminated."

During the 14^th March networking event attendees will hear from industry experts, who will share their first-hand solutions for solving skills gaps in their organisations. They'll also learn why CompTIA A+ is even more relevant for today's IT workforce and how it's driving the next generation of proven problem solvers in IT.

CompTIA A+ stands out from other certifications through its use of performance-based exam items. To become certified tech professionals must be able to think on their feet and perform critical tech support tasks in complex environments, including creative problem-solving; resolving cybersecurity issues; knowledge of cloud and virtualization; and exposure to a variety of IT functions.

"This is a clear differentiator in the hiring, upskilling and promotion process," Hunter explained. "Technology professionals who demonstrate these abilities are, from day one on the job, prepared to be contributing members of critical-path teams, from security operations to cloud and network administration to platform support."

Space is limited for the 14^th March event. To register and to view the complete agenda for the evening visit https://www.comptia.org/events/view/comptia-a-celebration-london-registration.

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 50 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. www.comptia.org.

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