NITAS as a tool to manage IT workers, ensuring competencies and skill levels current reflecting national standards and IT trends.

Strengthening Our Nation’s Workforce with Industry Driven Solutions

OA tasked McNeil Research and Evaluation Associates (McNeil Research) and OA staff to look at the status of the development of Registered Apprenticeship in six highgrowth industries and the military. Five industries (health care, hightech manufacturing, information technology, geospatial technology and biotechnology), which had never used the apprenticeship training model, were given seed capital to develop programs.

The other industry (maritime) and the military have operated apprenticeship programs for a number of years, but only recently adopted the Registered Apprenticeship model. Additionally, OA and NASTAD staff were trained to undertake outreach efforts in new industries. This report looks at results of those investments and marketing efforts by the Department of Labor and provides a snapshot in time of each project as it gets underway.

Approach Data was gathered about the benefits and effectiveness of Registered Apprenticeship, as well as information about the process of program implementation. The report is based on data gathered through document reviews; observations at selected industry sites; and informal interviews with project directors, site coordinators, mentors, apprentices, and representatives from employer sponsors, educational institutions, and the local workforce development system.

EARLY TRENDS  
Registered Apprenticeship: A Pathway

to a Stronger Workforce

Observations

RA is an effective training model that provides a tracking system for worker skills, ensures employer needs are met, increases productivity, and helps attract and retain high quality workers at lower costs.

Role of Registered Apprenticeship

As the IT apprenticeship program becomes fully operational and institutionalized, it will be important to connect apprentices and sponsors enrolled through the program with DOL’s RA system.

Observations

CompTIA has developed and is implementing the National Information Technology Apprenticeship System (NITAS) for IT professionals. OA and CompTIA are educating firms about this program.

Role of Registered Apprenticeship

Technical assistance will facilitate the process of connecting the IT apprenticeship program with DOL’s RA system, as well as train staff at One-Stop centers in methods to channel potential IT workers into the IT apprenticeship program.

Benefits to Employers ● Greater competence of employees ● Reduced turnover rates ● Greater employee retention ● Lower investment in recruitment ● Higher productivity ● Improved quality of patient care ● Improved quality of products/ services ● More diverse workforce

Benefits to Apprentices/Employees ● Nationally recognized and portable certificates ● Improved skills and competencies ● Increased wages as a result of mastered competencies ● Ability to advance in career ● Higher self-esteem based on enhanced skills and certifications

Information Technology: The Computing Technology Industry Association Educational Foundation, Inc. (CompTIA) and the National Information Technology Apprenticeship System (NITAS) CompTIA is a not-for-profit trade association based near Chicago that represents an international technology community of employers, workers, and trainers. CompTIA is building the National Information Technology Apprenticeship System (NITAS), a competency-based apprenticeship method that supports consistent and flexible credentialing of IT workers via an internet-based system that registers, tracks, and manages participants to ensure they attain skills and competencies. As part of the effort to institutionalize the IT apprenticeship, CompTIA has developed skill standards and work processes for several IT career tracks. NITAS is fully operational and accessible throughout the nation—to both small and large employers.

According to CompTIA staff, the apprenticeship system holds great promise for small businesses that employ only a few IT professionals because it better connects them with the public workforce system. Employers will be able to use NITAS as a tool to manage their IT workers, especially ensuring that the competencies and skill levels are current and reflect national standards and IT trends.

CompTIA is working closely with OA, educational institutions, and the workforce development system to implement the project. OA is assisting with the marketing of NITAS throughout the country. Several colleges are serving as pilot sites for NITAS, testing how their IT curricula fit into the NITAS career tracks. CompTIA is preparing a set of tools for One-Stop career centers to use in assessing job seekers to determine their suitability for IT work and to help direct them to employers.

Although NITAS is still in the early stages of development, CompTIA has laid the foundation for a national apprenticeship program for the IT industry that appears to meet the needs of employers and workers. IT managers see the apprenticeship model as superior to the classroom-only approach to training IT workers. NITAS will allow for easy verification of the skills level of IT workers by creating a permanent online resume of the apprentices’ education, certification, and skills validation. Ultimately, NITAS is expected to help employers increase productivity by readily identifying employee training needs that may hinder performance

Outreach and Education A Key to Raising Awareness and Facilitating Expansion The success of the Registered Apprenticeship training model depends upon the ability of programs to build partnerships among their various stakeholders, especially employers, educational organizations, and the workforce development system. Registered Apprenticeship is a new training model for most high-growth industries and educating partners about its structure and benefits, as well as the role they play in implementing the program, is critical. Involving all partners in the design, development, and implementation of an apprenticeship program ensures their needs are addressed.

Using this model, apprentices must show their mastery of tasks to move on to the next level. This approach is proving highly effective.

Apprenticeship training is helping employees quickly update and learn new skills in the information technology industry. Studies by the Navy show that IT specialists reached competency faster using the apprenticeship approach. NITAS, the web-based apprenticeship tracking system, makes it easier for apprentices and journey-workers to share their credentials with prospective employers. Employers who are NITAS members can access information, such as transcripts, certifications, and skill levels to verify that potential employees meet their needs and are qualified to hold specific jobs.

Productivity Enhanced by a Skilled and Competent Workforce The projects reported here are in early stages of implementation. Several employers have reported improved productivity resulting from higher effectiveness and efficiency. Studies produced by the Navy, for example, show that IT specialists reach competency faster using the apprenticeship approach, which combines classroom instruction and structured on-the-job experience, than through a more traditional approach that provides classroom instruction only. These performance indicators will be closely tracked as the programs mature.

Recruitment and Retention A Top Priority for Employers Employers across the six industries generally indicated that recruitment and retention are the main workforce challenges that their industries face. And for many industries, such as health care, these challenges come at a high cost. Implementation of apprenticeship programs has helped employers in these industries retain employees and save money. Investing in improving worker skills is less costly than recruitment. Apprentices appreciate the willingness of employers to invest in them by paying for training, providing incremental wage increases as skills improve, and offering opportunities for them to advance to higher positions. Additionally, employers cited reduction in employee turnover rates due to the apprenticeship programs. Reduced turnover means that employers experience cost savings; they do not have to constantly recruit and train new employees. Human resources personnel said they anticipate that the use of skill standards,

Skills Development Essential to Building Competence Having skilled workers requires employer access to a flexible training system that helps them continually update worker skills and maintain a competitive edge. The lack of skilled workers is a major challenge and cuts across most of the industries discussed in this report. As Registered Apprenticeship gains acceptance in new industries, it is rapidly becoming a training system based upon competency development, rather than solely time spent

Workforce Diversity

Necessary to Mirror the Local Community The Registered Apprenticeship model as applied in these industries is helping to increase workplace diversity, providing opportunities to workers that traditionally have not participated in apprenticeships. Employers from advanced manufacturing, health care, and the military have made strong efforts to ensure diverse groups are participating in their apprenticeship programs to better mirror local communities. Health care, in particular, has emphasized the need for greater minority participation in its workforce to match the patient population. This ensures better communication with patients, which in turn provides better health care.

Nontraditional students, those who do not follow a formal academic training path, have been targeted in these projects. Several employers said that students often perform better using the apprenticeship model because it allows them to move at their own pace. It also allows them to directly apply what they learn in their jobs, which helps them become more competent at a faster pace. This appears to be the case for both incumbent workers as well as dislocated workers. The Indiana National Guard, for example, uses the apprenticeship model to train Guard members returning from active duty.

Next Steps

In addition to the seven industries considered in this report, OA is pressing ahead with developing Registered Apprenticeship in several other high-growth industries. The industries include automotive, retail trade, hospitality, financial services, and energy. The early trends from the seven industries will facilitate the development of these new ventures.

https://www.doleta.gov/OA/brochure/2007%20Seven%20Industries.pdf   2007

  

Robert Wilson | Profile LinkedIn

|Military Network LinkedIn | http://mil-net.us

     Robert@Mil-Net.us | 859.428.8163

Projections data from the National Employment Matrix

Projections data from the National Employment Matrix

Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment,2008	Projected Employment,2018	Change,2008-2018
Computer support specialists	15-1041	565,700	643,700	Number 78,000
				Percent 14
( NOTE ) Data in this table are rounded. See the discussion of the employment projections table in the Handbook introductory chapter on Occupational Information Included in the Handbook.

Computer Support Specialists

●      Job growth is projected to be faster than the average for all occupations.

●      A bachelor's degree is required for some jobs, while an associate degree or certification is adequate for others.

●      Job prospects should be good, especially for college graduates with relevant skills and experience.

Nature of the Work

●      Computer support specialists provide technical assistance, support, and advice to individuals and organizations that depend on information technology. They work within organizations that use computer systems, for computer hardware or software vendors, or for third-party organizations that provide support services on a contract basis, such as help-desk service firms. Support specialists are usually differentiated between technical support specialists and help-desk technicians.

●      Technical support specialists respond to inquiries from their organization's' computer users and may run automatic diagnostics programs to resolve problems. In addition, they may write training manuals and train computer users in the use of new computer hardware and software. These workers also oversee the daily performance of their company's computer systems, resolving technical problems with Local Area Networks (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), and other systems.

●      Help-desk technicians respond to telephone calls and e-mail messages from customers looking for help with computer problems. In responding to these inquiries, help-desk technicians must listen carefully to the customer, ask questions to diagnose the nature of the problem, and then patiently walk the customer through the problem-solving steps. They also install, modify, clean, and repair computer hardware and software. Many computer support specialists start out at the help desk.

●      Help-desk technicians deal directly with customer issues, and their employers value them as a source of feedback on their products and services. They are consulted for information about what gives customers the most trouble, as well as other customer concerns.

●      Work environment. Computer support specialists normally work in well-lighted, comfortable offices or computer laboratories. Most work about 40 hours a week. Those who work for third-party support firms often are away from their offices, spending considerable time working at a client's location. As computer networks expand, more computer support specialists may be able to provide technical support from remote locations. This capability would reduce or eliminate travel to the customer's workplace, and may allow some support specialists to work from home.

●      Injuries in this occupation are uncommon, but like other workers who type on a keyboard for long periods, computer support specialists are susceptible to eyestrain, back discomfort, and hand and wrist problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

●      A college degree is required for some computer support specialist positions, but an associate degree or certification may be sufficient for others. Strong problem-solving and communication skills are essential. Education and training. Due to the wide range of skills required, there are many paths of entry to a job as a computer support specialist. Training requirements for computer support specialist positions vary, but many employers prefer to hire applicants with some formal college education.

●      A bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or information systems is a prerequisite for some jobs; other jobs, however, may require only a computer-related associate degree. Some employers will hire applicants with a college degree in any field, as long as the applicant has the necessary technical skills. For some jobs, relevant computer experience and certifications may substitute for formal education.

●      Most support specialists receive on-the-job training after being hired. This training can last anywhere from 1 week to 1 year, but a common length is about 3 months. Many computer support specialists, in order to keep up with changes in technology, continue to receive training throughout their careers by attending professional training programs offered by employers, hardware and software vendors, colleges and universities, and private training institution

Certification and other qualifications.

●      For some jobs, professional certification may qualify an applicant for employment. Certification can demonstrate proficiency in a product or process, and help applicants obtain some entry-level positions. Some hardware and software vendors require their computer support specialists to be certified, and many of these will fund this training after an applicant is hired.

●      Voluntary certification programs are offered by a wide variety of organizations, including product vendors and training institutions, and are available across the Nation.

●      People interested in becoming a computer support specialist must have strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills because troubleshooting and helping others are vital parts of the job. The constant interaction with other computer personnel, customers, and employees requires computersupport specialists to communicate effectively via e-mail, over the phone, or in person. Strong writing skills are useful in writing e-mail responses and preparing manuals for employees and customers.

●      Advancement. Entry-level computer support specialists generally work directly with customers or in-house users. They may advance into positions that handle products or problems with higher levels of technical complexity. Some may advance into management roles. Some computer support specialists may find opportunities in other occupations, such as computer programmers or software engineers, designing products rather than assisting users. Promotions depend heavily on job performance, but formal education and professional certification can improve advancement opportunities. Advancement opportunities in hardware and software companies can occur quickly, sometimes within months.

Employment

●      Computer support specialists held about 565,700 jobs in 2008. Although they worked in a wide range of industries, about 18 percent were employed in the computer systems design and related services industry. Substantial numbers of these workers were also employed in administrative and support services companies, financial institutions, insurance companies, government agencies, educational institutions, software publishers, telecommunications organizations, and healthcare organizations.

●      Employment is expected to increase faster than the average. Job prospects should be good, especially for those with a college degree and relevant skills. Employment change. Employment of computer support specialists is expected to increase by 14 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for these workers will result as organizations and individuals continue to adopt the newest forms of technology. As technology becomes more complex and widespread, support specialists will be needed in greater numbers to resolve the technical problems that arise. Businesses, especially, will demand greater levels of support, as information technology has become essential in the business environment.

●      Job growth will be fastest in several industries that rely heavily on technology. These include the computer systems design and related services industry; the data processing, hosting and related services industry; the software publishing industry; and the management, scientific, and technical consulting industry. These industries will employ a growing number of support specialists as they utilize and provide an increasing array of IT services. Healthcare and related establishments, in addition, may see substantial growth as these organizations look to improve their efficiency and patient care through the use of information systems and other technology.

●      Overall growth may be dampened, to a certain extent, as some jobs are outsourced to offshore locations. Advances in technology increasingly allow computer support specialists to provide assistance remotely. Some employers may seek to reduce expenses by hiring workers in areas that have lower prevailing wages.

●      Job prospects. Job prospects are expected to be good; those who possess a bachelor's degree, relevant technical and communication skills, and previous work experience should have even better opportunities than applicants with an associate degree or professional certification.

Earnings

●      Median annual wages of wage-and-salary computer support specialists were $43,450 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,680 and $55,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,580, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $70,750. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of computer support specialists in May 2008 were as follows:

●      Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers...........................48,580

●      Management of companies and enterprises..................45,200

●      Colleges, universities, and professional schools...........43,130

●      Computer systems design and related services.............43,080

●      Elementary and secondary schools...............................40,550

Related Occupations

●      Other occupations that deal with technology or respond to customer inquiries include:

●      Broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators

●      Computer and information systems managers

●      Computer network, systems, and database administrators

●      Computer software engineers and computer programmers

●      Customer service representatives