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Rapid IT Employment Academy

Rapid IT Training and Employment Initiative Logo

ABOUT THE RAPID IT TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE

The purpose of the H-1B One Workforce Rapid IT Training & Employment Initiative (RITEI) grant is to is to connect unemployed and underemployed workers to jobs in IT and to provide incumbent workers with the training they need to move on to positions that require more advanced skills positions. The grant is supported and led by Jobs for the Future (JFF) in partnership with the NAWB, the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, CompTIA, and five leading organizations in Omaha, Denver, Philadelphia, Dallas, and San Francisco. Over the span of the grant, 360 individuals in the Omaha metropolitan area will be trained for in-demand CompTIA A+ Certification or Google IT Professional Certificates, supplemented by rigorous, paid work-based learning (WBL). In addition to training and certification, MCC provides assessment, case management, and supportive services, and engage with regional employers to place participants in tech jobs with established career pathways.

To learn more about this grant initiative, visit the Jobs for the Future RITEI website.

CERTIFICATION PATHWAY

The training focuses initially on CompTIA A+, a professional certification that validates core skills and abilities, in areas such as cybersecurity, data backup, recovery and storage, device configuration, networking, operating systems, technical support, and troubleshooting. Education is delivered over 12 weeks infusing weekly online labs and assessments, live tutoring sessions and live online instructor-led workshops. Upon successful completion of the program, participants prepare to complete the CompTIA A+ certification exam.

CompTIA A+ Logo

Once CompTIA A+ certified, participants customize their learning journey depending on interest, ability, and career objectives. Students will work directly with a Career Coach to determine if they are ready to enter the IT workforce or continue their education at MCC through Google IT Professional Certificates, credit programs, or paid work-based learning.

Below are links to learn more about grant supported training and certification:

Career and job outlook:

CompTIA A+ is considered an industry standard for launching a career in today’s tech workforce. By achieving the CompTIA A+, hiring managers know the individual is ready to be a contributing team member. Participants can enter the workforce in various IT and IT-enabled careers with position titles such as Computer User Support Specialist, Helpdesk Technician, IT Technician, Desktop Support Specialists, or Computer Network Support Specialist.

Below is a table detailing job outlook for Computer User Support Specialists according to the Nebraska Department of Labor, Office of Labor Market Information.

Computer User Support Specialists: Occupation statistics for Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan area 2016 – 2026*

Projected Employment Growth

Annual Job Openings

Average Hourly Wage

Average Annual Wage

15.57%

226

$24.74

$51,490

* Denotes sourced from Nebraska Department of Labor, Office of Labor Market Information. Retrieved on September 30, 2021. Retrieved from Nebraska’s H3 website.

Price:

The program is no cost to eligible grant participants. Participants receive all services and materials at no cost including cost of instruction, textbooks, online-learning labs, practice exams, exam vouchers, and dedicated support from a Career Coach.

Participant Eligibility:

Eligible participants meet the following criteria:

  • Must be 17 years of age or older
  • Have a minimum education level of GED
  • Must not be currently enrolled in high school
  • Must be unemployed, underemployed, or an incumbent worker (see definitions below)
  • Cannot be enrolled in two different H-1B grant programs at the same time (90-day grace period)

Participants must meet one of the following employment status definitions:

Unemployed: You are considered unemployed if you are currently without a job and available to work.

Underemployed: You are considered underemployed if you are:

  • Employed part-time
  • Employed, but employment does not commensurate with the level of education, skills, or wage
  • Employed, but is currently earning less salary than previously earned
  • Employed, but have obtained only episodic, short-term employment

Incumbent Worker: You are considered an incumbent worker if you:

  • Employed but need training to upgrade their skills to secure full-time employment, advance in their careers, or retain their current occupations in H-1B occupations and industries. This definition includes newly hired workers and workers whose hours have been reduced and/or earnings have declined.

To determine your eligibility, submit an application and a MCC staff member will contact you to determine eligibility.

Physical and technical requirements:

Metropolitan Community College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act and its amendments. If a prospective student who is otherwise qualified requires a reasonable accommodation, he/she should contact the Disability Support Services office at Metropolitan Community College (MCC).

In order for students to be successful in the Rapid IT Employment Academy program, they must be able to perform the following sensory and physical standards.

General Standard Specific Example
Ability to use senses
  • Visual acuity to identify, read, and understand directions on equipment and other documents required such as technical procedures
  • Ability to distinguish distance, colors, objects, and persons
  • Ability to speak clearly, so listeners can understand and ability to understand the speech of another person to engage in conversation and to receive ordinary information
Physical ability
  • Ability to sit or remain stationary for long periods, such as sitting at a computer desk
  • Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble small objects
  • Ability to use hands to use keyboard, mouse, and adjust computer screens
  • Ability to lift, move, carry, push, and pull at least 15 pounds

This workforce product is funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of DOL/ETA. DOL/ETA makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.