They include entry-level tech support, software development and tech-enabled jobs where digital skills are prized and in short supply. Additionally, jobs in high-skill careers like engineering and data analysis are in demand. With a half-million unfilled tech jobs, the CTA says apprenticeships can bridge this skills gap while providing an upward career path.
“Our commitment — and our entire industry’s obligation — is to build a workforce that is ‘tomorrow ready.’ This new Coalition allows us to scale apprenticeship programs nationwide and prepare more workers for the surging number of new collar jobs that require in-demand skills, but not always a four-year degree,” Rometty said in the release.
The initiative spans 20 states to reach into America’s heartland and under served communities that were overlooked as technology transformed coastal cities into high-tech oases. IBM’s registered apprenticeship program, which began in 2017 and Rometty said has “grown nearly twice as fast as expected,” will serve as the guide for apprenticeships created through the initiative.