The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development has partnered with CompTIA, one of the world’s largest nonprofit trade associations, to provide in-demand, on-demand information technology training to displaced workers in Missouri.

A news release says the Office of Workforce Development, in collaboration with the Local Workforce Development Boards, will utilize CARES Act funding to offer training to 1,000 Missourians looking to skill up and get back to work. Enrollment is now open through Dec. 4, 2020. Those who complete the CompTIA training will receive professional certification in one of three programs: CompTIA A+ (Information Technology), CompTIA Security+ (Cybersecurity) or CompTIA Project+ (Project Management).

In order to help the state of Missouri recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, CompTIA will deliver these three unique, mentored-learning training programs in a flexible and streamlined process, which can be completed in as few as eight weeks.

Information Technology jobs are some of the most in-demand in Missouri, with computer occupations projected to grow 13 percent from 2018-2028. Over the 12-month period from September 2019 through August 2020, Missouri employers posted job openings for more than 61,000 technology positions, an 11 percent year-over-year increase, according to data from Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights. More than 30,000 of these job openings were advertised during the first six months of 2020.

To be eligible for free CompTIA training, applicants must be over 18 years old and have been laid off or furloughed because of COVID-19.

Those interested must qualify for Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding, and may be asked to take two assessments through their local Missouri Job Center to see if they are eligible.

For more information on how to apply for free IT training with CompTIA, visit jobs.mo.gov/returnstrong.