1.
2004 CompTIA Answers President’s Call to Create New Opportuniĕes, National IT Apprenticeship
System (NITAS)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2004 CompTIA Answers President’s Call to Create New Opportuniĕes for America’s
Technology Workers
National IT Apprenticeship System (NITAS), an innovative program delivered jointly by the
Computing Technology Currently three apprenĕceship tracks are available:
1. IT Generalist, IT Project Management Level
2. and IT Project Management Level
3. Apprenĕceship tracks planned for later this year include informaĕon assurance and security, IT
enterprise management, database, web e‐commerce, and network specializaĕon.
Industry Association (CompTIA) and the U.S. Department of Labor
Naĕonal IT Apprenĕceship System from CompTIA Answers President’s Call to Create New
Opportuniĕes for America’s Technology Workers
Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., January 21, 2004 – The Naĕonal IT Apprenĕceship System (NITAS), an
innovaĕve program delivered jointly by the Compuĕng Technology Industry Associaĕon
(CompTIA) and the U.S. Department of Labor, is providing workers with the training and
educaĕon President Bush says is needed to help America become more producĕve.
In his State of the Union speech Tuesday, Mr. Bush stressed that “as technology transforms the
way almost every job is done, America becomes more producĕve, and workers need new skills…
We must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new
economy."
The President reinforced his remarks today at Mesa (Arizona) Community College, where he led a
discussion on jobs for the 21st century.
Martin Bean, chairman of CompTIA’s public policy committee, moderated the panel discussion.
Neill Hopkins, vice president, workforce development and training, CompTIA, also participated
in the program.
“We are pleased and proud to be working closely with the Administration in offering programs
that help US workers get the training and skills necessary to power America’s technological
prowess,” said John Venator, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA . “NITAS is an

2. example of CompTIA’s leadership in the training and development of current and future U.S. tech
workers. We want to thank President Bush and the Department of Labor for their commitment
to this goal, and for the real progress they’ve already accomplished.”
The technology field continues to have some of the country’s fastest­growing occupations. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics projects increases of 82 percent in the number of positions for
network and computer systems administrators; and a 97 percent rise for computer support
specialists, between 2000 and 2010. It also predicts job growth for software engineers of up to
100 percent, depending on area of expertise, for the same time period.
“IT skills are criĕcal to the compeĕĕveness of virtually every U.S. industry, and the
development of a skilled, highly‐trained IT workforce offers a substanĕal opportunity to
boost American compeĕĕveness,” said Bean, chief operating officer, New Horizons
Worldwide.
“The IT field supports virtually every business and every industry in the flow of vital informaĕon
and communicaĕons with the potenĕal for bringing conĕnued producĕvity gains through
automaĕon,” Bean added. “It does not require a tremendous leap of faith to conclude that
producĕvity and quality gains in the IT workforce can have a substanĕal economic mulĕplier.
Programs such as NITAS are establishing the framework to help American workers and the
companies that employ them become more secure, innovaĕve and profitable.”
NITAS provides the tools and infrastructure that benefit new technology workers entering the
field; current IT workers in need of retraining; the educational institutions that deliver classroom
instruction; and the companies that employ the newly trained and re­trained works.
Through NITAS, new IT workers become productive quickly with minimal start­up periods and
with little or no re­work. Existing IT workers learn new jobs and skills, enabling them to adapt
to new technology and innovation more quickly and leverage those opportunities to secure
competitive advantage for the organization. Employers have the tools to match job
requirements with educational content. Educational institutions have the opportunity to
extend their mission into the workplace to deliver lifelong learning to keep IT requirements
aligned with business goals.
“NITAS strengthens the linkages between workforce investment and the nation’s educational
systems,” CompTIA’s Hopkins said . “Research conducted by the Department of Labor and by
CompTIA indicates that on­the­job training is much more effective when combined with
classroom instruction than when either is delivered on its own. The combination of structured
on­the­job training delivered under the guidance of an experienced worker, and
complementary related classroom instruction ensures a worker’s employability and
competency.” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bean, chief operating officer, New Horizons Worldwide

3. Martin Bean, chairman of CompTIA’s public policy committee, moderated the panel discussion.
Neill Hopkins, vice president, workforce development and training, CompTIA, also participated
in the program.
John Venator, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA .
Currently three apprenticeship tracks are available: IT Generalist, IT Project Management
Level 2 and IT Project Management Level 3. Apprenticeship tracks planned for later this year
include information assurance and security, IT enterprise management, database, web
e­commerce, and network specialization.
All three concentrations consist of a minimum number of hours of classroom instruction,
on­the­job instruction, mentored skills validation and industry certification. The structured,
supervised on­the­job learning component involves at least 2,000 hours depending on the
occupation. The classroom component consists of a minimum of 144 hours of instruction.
Apprenticeship tracks planned for later this year include information assurance and security,
IT enterprise management, database, web e­commerce, and network specialization.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is a global trade associaĕon represenĕng the business interests of the informaĕon
technology industry. For more than 22 years CompTIA has provided research, networking and
partnering opportuniĕes to its more than 19,000 members in 89 countries. The associaĕon is
involved in developing standards and best pracĕces, and influencing the poliĕcal, economic and
educaĕonal arenas that impact IT worldwide. More informaĕon is at www.compĕa.org .
Contact:
Steven M. Ostrowski
CompTIA
+1(630) 678 8468
+1(630) 935 0790 mobile
sostrowski@compĕa.org