Edina, Minn. — After five years of successful IT-Ready classes in the Twin Cities, preparing new tech workers for help desk jobs and future careers in networking and cybersecurity, Creating IT Futures is launching a new free training class, IT-Ready QA.
With eight weeks of full-time, free classroom instruction, starting on April 16, students in IT-Ready QA will learn the foundational skills to become a software tester. By their June graduation, students will understand what’s required to test and support software throughout its life cycle, principles of test design, risk management, agile development, and identifying best practices for mobile software testing.
“We’ve launched the tech careers of more than 400 students in the Twin Cities alone through our IT-Ready program. Now we’re expanding upon that training and offering a new class for software testers,” said Charles Eaton, CEO, Creating IT Futures. “Software testing is a critical part of today’s software development industry. Careful destruction of software can be just as valuable as brilliant creation, and in our software testing curriculum, students will learn the best practices for breaking software and squashing bugs.”
Beyond the classroom experience, Creating IT Futures staff work with graduates to connect them to local employers. Eighty-eight percent of IT-Ready students graduate, and 86 percent get placed in full-time tech jobs.
Students who successfully complete the IT-Ready QA class will obtain certifications that prove working knowledge of software testing, and will be uniquely prepared to take on an entry-level position as a software QA analyst or automation engineer. The salaries for these types of positions with 0-2 years of job experience average $65,000 nationwide, according to research firm Burning Glass. Students train and test for the following industry certifications:
Students also receive targeted professional development in key business “soft” skills such as professional communication and presentation, teamwork and collaboration, and critical thinking and problem solving.
All IT-Ready courses are underwritten by grants and financial donations, so that students can attend classes for free. To demonstrate their commitment to the training and pursuing an IT career, students are allowed only one absence and two late days during the program. Prior knowledge of computers and a familiarity with various software packages is preferred, but a college degree is not required. For a full list of student qualifications for acceptance, visit: http://creatingitfutures.org/developing-programs/it-ready/who-is-qualified.
The IT-Ready QA class for the Twin Cities starts April 16 and runs through June 8, and is held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every weekday. Applications are due by March 16. Apply at IT-Ready.com.
About Creating IT Futures
Founded in 1998 by CompTIA, Creating IT Futures is a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission of helping populations under-represented in the information technology industry and individuals who are lacking in opportunity to prepare for, secure, and be successful in IT careers. Learn more at www.creatingITfutures.org.
Media Contact:
Lisa Fasold
Creating IT Futures
630-678-8558
lfasold@comptia.org
Steve Ostrowski
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
(630) 678 - 8468
sostrowski@comptia.org
Roger Hughlett
Director, Corporate Communications
(202) 503 - 3644
rhughlett@comptia.org
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$2 trillion – Estimated direct economic impact of the U.S. tech industry, representing 8.8% of the national economy.
582,000 – Number of tech business establishments in the U.S.
9.1 million – U.S. net tech employment at the end of 2022.
286,400 – Estimated number of new technology jobs added in the U.S. in 2022.
4.1 million – Number of postings by U.S. employers for tech job openings during 2022.
