Case Study - Collaborative Draft.docx



Case Study: CompTIA’s Industry-neutral IT Education and TrainingIntroductionComputing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a non-profit trade association that is focused on providing training to the Information Technology (IT) Channel. The IT Channel is made up of IT vendor and IT partner professionals who bring IT goods and services to end-users. CompTIA supports the IT Channel by providing learning opportunities to a global audience. The following case study outlines the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of CompTIA’s training offerings. ContextCompTIA is headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, and has international offices located in Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa and United Kingdom (Culture & Diversity, 2014). Its mission is to provide education, certification, and industry-related political advocacy and philanthropy to IT professionals, vendors, and partner organizations/businesses (Our Story, 2014). CompTIA’s educational efforts include training, events and research. The company’s interactive format caters to adult learners. The purpose of its events is to connect the IT community with IT leaders and experts (Education, 2014). CompTIA’s charity, Creating IT Futures Foundation, helps the under-represented populations who include women, ethnic minorities, the unemployed and the underemployed (IT Futures, 2014). Current Training ModelCompTIA utilizes a traditional training model of determining educational needs, developing content to fill these needs, and then measuring the success of activities. CompTIA’s trainings are designed to be responsive to the ever changing IT environment by providing vendor-neutral content on a variety of topics (e.g., Quick Start Guide to Understanding Your Balance Statement and Mobile Marketing with Verizon) that support all aspects of IT professionalism. Learners can access CompTIA’s IT Channel Training website to explore, register, and participate in live (face-to-face and webinar) and on-demand (courses, downloadable guides, and on-demand webinars) activities that fulfill their personal and professional educational goals (Education, n.d.).Institutional Resources AvailableCompTIA provides resources to its members that are necessary to achieve their institution’s mission and goals while remaining neutral to vendors. Some of the institutional resources available include: online member communities, business trustmarks, its ambassador program, designated staff devoted public policy, face to face interactions with other IT professionals, and further research into new emerging IT based technologies. The list below provides more information on some of these resources:CompTIA’s diverse board of directors encompass leadership skills from other technology based corporations (About us, 2014). Through interactions with IT professionals and continued industry research, CompTIA remains abreast of leading and cutting edge technologies and trends in IT. It has a network of “more than 2,000 members, 3,000 academic and training partners and tens of thousands of registered users spanning the entire information communications and technology (ICT) industry” (Our Story, 2014, para. 3). This massive network provides an array of valuable knowledge and extended partnerships for members. The CompTIA Ambassador Program encourages IT leadership through “[encouraging] members from our past and present leadership to drive awareness for our association” (Ambassador Program, 2014). Ambassadors work diligently to recruit new members and provide new perspectives on the continuance of IT pioneering. CompTIA offers business trustmarks that are essentially credentials that are earned through superior customer service and business practices. TechAmerica, a division of CompTIA, bridges the gap between federal commercial policy, state government affairs and international policy and IT advocacy (About Us, 2014). Learners CharacteristicsCompTIA learners are IT professionals, workers new to the IT profession, and individuals interested in a career in high-tech (United States: CompTIA, 2010). Since it CompTIA offers a robust e-learning program, its and learners are worldwide. There is no age requirement for certification exams. CompTIA recommends that candidates for any certification should be at least 13 years old (CompTIA research & marketing intelligence, 2014n.pTIA, 2014b). Women are largely not represented in the field of IT. Almost less than one quarter (24 percent) of IT professionals are women (Exam prerequisite and age requirements, n.d.). NeedsCompTIA learners seek certification for many reasons, including seeking certification for career advancement, professional development, and fulfilling requirements set by employers. Eddy (2011) states that companies have a difficult time finding skilled IT professionals. In addition, a 2013 CompTIA survey indicate that six out of 10 IT professionals believe that training and professional development ensures that they stay relevant in the workplace (CompTIA, 2014a).Desired Learning OutcomesCompTIA’s programs focus on furthering the IT Channel by encouraging business growth, and creating a skilled and knowledgeable workforce (About Us, n.d.). Industry changes and new technologies present opportunities and challenges for businesses and IT professionals. CompTIA endeavors to offer “vendor-neutral” industry research, professional development training, and skill certification that allow its members to stay relevant and up-to-date with industry needs (Education, n.d.). The learning outcome for CompTIA’s certification program is demonstrated proficiency in an aspect of IT marked by the awarding of a certification. Employers can confirm the status of this certification via a verification code (Get Certified, n.d.). Some certifications, like the A+ certification, expire after a designated time frame, ensuring that all holders have the most up-to-date information (CompTIA A+, n.d.). ChallengesCompTIA (2013) states that “fast changing technology makes it difficult for learners to stay current with skills.” Their 2013A 2013 CompTIA survey indicates that there is a gap n overall skills gap. CompTIA (2013) defines skills gap as the difference between existing and or desired skills level among IT professionals. In order for CompTIA to remain useful to IT professionals they must offer cutting edge certifications to address these skills gap concern. Wright (2013) states that CompTIA works to stay relevant in a fast-paced IT industry. In order to stay relevant, CompTIA has had to re-think their lifetime certification rule regarding their certifications like A+. “A+ certification is the starting point for a career in IT and the exam covers maintenance of personal computers, laptops, mobile devices, operating systems and printers” (CompTIA A+, n.d., para. 3). Due to the decline of personal computer use, CompTIA has had to refocus the exam and end lifetime certification in order to stay current with rapidly changing technologies. OpportunitiesCompTIA performs regular market research to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities within the IT industry. This research is used to plan events and training (Education, n.d.). CompTIA’s 2014 study identified the top IT-related needs of businesses as: “cybersecurity,” “data storage,” “network infrastructure,” “online e-commerce,” mobile devices, “automating business processes,” and “data analytics” (State of the IT skills gap 2014, 2014, p. 8). The installation of internet connectivity in everyday devices is also a growing opportunity for the IT industry (Sizing up the internet of things, 2014, p. 10). For every new technology or IT business need, CompTIA can assist the IT Channel by providing training and hosting user communities. Summary/ConclusionCompTIA is an international leading pioneer in IT training and education. It works to bridge the skills gap in IT professionals through a comprehensive and diverse array of training offerings that appeal globally to various learner types. Its vast array of institutional resources are designed to help students succeed and meet the organization’s mission. CompTIA’s in-depth research and commitment to member success ensures that its training and programs are relevant, cutting edge, and meets the needs of its stakeholders. ReferencesCompTIA. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from . (n.d.). About us: Awards. Retrieved from . (n.d.). About us: Education. Retrieved from . (n.d.). About us: Philanthropy. Retrieved from . (n.d.). Careers: Career development. Retrieved from . (n.d.). Careers: Culture & diversity. Retrieved from . (n.d.). Careers: Giving back. Retrieved from . (n.d.). CompTIA A+. Retrieved from . (July 29, 2014). CompTIA research & marketing intelligence. Retrieved from . (n.d.). Exam prerequisite and age requirements. Retrieved from . (n.d.). Get certified. Retrieved from . (n.d.). Our Story. Retrieved from . (October 22, 2014). Sizing Up the Internet of Things. Retrieved from . (October 14, 2014). State of the IT Skills Gap 2014. Retrieved from , N. (October 14, 2011). Businesses struggle with hiring as confidence falls: CompTIA. Channel Insider. Retrieved from United States: CompTIA introduces new series of e-learning courses for technology skills. (2010, March). TendersInfo News. Retrieved from , R. (March 25, 2013). CompTIA at a crossroad. CRN. Retrieved from ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download