CompTIA Newsroom

RapidAscent brings its unique program to California to help the veteran community; organization is a member of the CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech network

PLEASANTON, Calif. – RapidAscent, Inc. (RA), a national educational apprenticeship organization, today announced its official recognition by the State of California for its Cyber Security Apprenticeship Program, marking a significant milestone in the organization's commitment to providing exceptional vocational training and career development opportunities for veterans nationwide.

RA is a member of the CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech network, a national initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and led by the American Institutes for Research in partnership with CompTIA to create employment opportunities in the tech workforce for individuals leaving the military from diverse backgrounds, while simultaneously helping employers fill tech staffing needs.

In furtherance of this achievement, RA has developed a program that can use tools such as SkillBridge, The Good Jobs Grant and even corporate funding to bring this educational opportunity to the student at no cost. These options allow a veteran leaving the military to gain a skillset in a rapidly expanding field and can let them continue to serve the country in a cybersecurity role with a government agency or government contractor.

Mike Lyons, co-founder of RA, expressed his enthusiasm for the expansion, stating, “With a steadily increasing need for cybersecurity professionals, RapidAscent’s programs, that uniquely create operational skills in cybersecurity, are a deeply needed addition to gain critically needed job skills.”

In August, U.S. employers listed more than 12,000 job postings for information security analysts, a 19% increase from July. The approval of RA for California State Apprenticeship Program offerings signifies the organization's dedication to bridging the gap between education and industry, equipping aspiring veterans with the necessary skills and practical experience to thrive in today's competitive job market.

“Our collaboration with California and California businesses marks a major step towards our goal of making cyber career apprenticeship opportunities available to a wide range of candidates. These programs then provide companies with qualified candidates whose skills are directly aligned with job opening requirements” said Craig Schultz, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder at RapidAscent.

Through this collaborative effort, RA will reach out to the veterans stationed in California enabling them to contribute to the nation's workforce and realize their full potential.

The USDOL selected the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health and the workforce, and CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce, to serve as a national Industry Intermediary for expansion of apprenticeships in tech occupations.

About RapidAscent, Inc.
RapidAscent has developed a competency-based program, including wage progression based on the competencies verified by skills assessments and signed off by the learner and the job manager/mentors.  These competencies are focused on cybersecurity analyst/engineer registered roles and have been co-developed and reviewed with major government defense contractors. This program is built around providing transitioning veterans with the tools and skills necessary for success in the technology sector. https://rapidascent.com

Media Contact
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
sostrowski@comptia.org
630.678.8468