CompTIA Creating Futures Program is Preparing Military Veterans for New Careers in Technology.

Recent reports on homelessness, joblessness among returning vets demonstrates need for new employment strategies

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. -- A program established and supported by members of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is helping to address the nation's need for new employment opportunities for military veterans.

Creating Futures, an initiative of the CompTIA Education Foundation, is providing career opportunities to groups who have historically been under-represented in the IT workforce, including veterans transitioning out of the military. The program works with employers to identify their hiring needs, then tailors education and training programs to help individuals obtain the skills employers are looking for.

Training and employment programs like Creating Futures are especially important today, as veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan leave the service only to encounter problems with housing, poverty and unemployment when they return home. The Veterans Affairs Department said earlier this month that it is bracing for a new surge in the homeless veterans in the years ahead.

"Veteran's Day is a time for reflection on the service and sacrifice that the men and women of the U.S. armed forces have given to our nation," said John Venator, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA. "Now, as many of these brave individuals return to civilian life, it is incumbent on all industries to ease their transition by making employment opportunities available to them. Creating Futures is doing just that on behalf of the information technology industry."

In March, Creating Futures launched a pilot program in Jacksonville, Fla. to help transitioning service members prepare for their post-military careers. The program includes the following six steps: assessing an individual's skills level; offering a scholarship; providing training; providing certification testing; securing an internship; and helping individuals find full-time employment.

To date, 47 veterans have either completed the program or are now enrolled in online training. The goal is to expand such programs as the Jacksonville and online training programs to train 200 or more transitioning military personnel a year and to duplicate the program in other cities with large military presences.

In addition to the Jacksonville program, a small number of active duty personnel stationed in Germany are utilizing online training in IT skills in advance of their planned discharge from the service in early 2008. Creating Futures is also working with a number of organizations, such as Wounded Warriors (http://www.woundedwarriors.org/) to provide training to disabled veterans.

For more information about Creating Futures, please visit www.creatingfutures.us.

About the CompTIA Educational Foundation

Established in 1998, the CompTIA Educational Foundation continues its mission to develop qualified and productive entry level IT workers, with the hopes of eliminating the skill shortages within the industry. The Foundation receives support from individuals, industry leaders, companies and the government through contributions and grants, giving hundreds of individuals the opportunity to pursue careers in IT. Donations fund the programs: Creating Futures, NITAS, TechCareer Compass, and IT Merit Awards. For more information, please visit http://www.creatingfutures.us/.

About CompTIA

In 2007, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Just as the IT industry it serves has grown, CompTIA has also enjoyed remarkable growth over the past 25 years. The organization was founded by representatives of five micro-computer dealerships working together to find better ways to do business. Today, CompTIA has more than 22,000 member companies in over 100 countries around the world; and serves as the voice of the world's $1 trillion-plus IT industry. CompTIA is committed to advancing the long-term success and growth of the IT industry by helping organizations maximize the benefits they receive from their investments in technology; and by helping individuals to obtain the skills and credentials they need for productive careers in IT. For more information, please visit www.comptia.org.