New Apprenticeship (NEW), a Department of Labor Recognized Apprenticeship, has added new tech occupations based on employer needs to help bridge the growing skills gap. These learning paths were co-created with industry and employer subject matter experts to prioritize areas of highest technical need within the 12+ month apprenticeship program. Individuals can now enter into a Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Data Operations, or Project Management apprenticeship program, in addition to the prior programs in Digital Marketing, Cloud Computing, Data Analysis, and IT. New Apprenticeship provides enterprise employers with an entry-level tech talent solution by producing trained and accelerated tech-ready talent, creating a diverse talent pipeline that improves retention.
The need for new talent pathways such as apprenticeship is immense. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. BLS) projects that information security analyst employment, for example, will grow by 35% between 2021 and 2031. Software development is projected to expand by 25% during that same time period. By creating US Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship programs in these fields, NEW is prepared to help meet these growth targets by partnering with employers to upskill community-based talent into these high-demand roles.
Most employers understand the importance of additional training and upskilling programs, not only to fill open positions, but to retain their employees. According to SHRM’s 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends report, 86% of HR managers believe training is beneficial to retain talent. Yet, more than half (55%) employees say they need additional training to perform better in their role, according to the same study.
Despite the growing demand for tech talent, employers struggle to gather the necessary resources to design and install a suitable training model to advance the tech skills of their entry-level employees. “Employers have the experience and knowledge, but lack the resources to create an integrated training model specifically designed to accelerate the growth of their early-career employees,” says Brad Voeller, CEO of New Apprenticeship.
As more tech companies announce layoffs and the current economic uncertainty grows, companies may find it increasingly challenging to find the internal resources necessary to effectively launch training programs. In order to both fill those gaps and ensure that current and future demands are met by tech-ready talent, employers must strategically leverage partners that can help make that happen.
