A TRIO OF the state’s elite tech entities has banded together to create a new IT apprenticeship program in Northwest Arkansas. The Arkansas Center for Data Sciences (ACDS) has partnered with the Northwest Arkansas Council, the Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI), the Office of Skills Development (OSD) – a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce to develop the program.

“This is indeed an exciting prospect for Northwest Arkansas,” said Dr. Joe Rollins of the NWA Council. “Our region is booming with demand for tech talent, and the earlier we can get our young people launched on this career path, the better it will be for our region and our state.”

NWTI will be handling the related technical instruction of the program, in collaboration with ACDS. “Over the past thirty days, we have worked in partnership to bring about this exciting new certified apprenticeship,” said Michael Dewberry, Apprenticeship and Training Director at NWTI. “Starting in January 2021, people from across the state can enter this program and receive worldwide industry training, labs, and testing to receive credentials with Comp Tia (ITF, A+, Network + and Security +).”

In addition to the new apprenticeship, the partners are currently working on plans to offer pre-apprenticeship opportunities to high school students in NWA. “We are thrilled to announce these new steps forward for Arkansans to receive training and join the IT workforce,” said Bill Yoder, Executive Director of ACDS. “Both the IT Generalist apprenticeship and the coming high school pre-apprenticeships will help prepare numerous Arkansans to enjoy the benefits of a career in IT.”

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Companies should contact Lonnie Emard at admin@acds.co .