WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, business leaders from small- and medium-sized IT companies from across the country are joining CompTIA executives in the nation’s capital this week to advocate for public policies that are IT-friendly and can help this sector create jobs and reinvigorate the economy.
CompTIA members and partners will meet directly with their elected representatives in Congress to discuss issues affecting the IT community, including smart tax policy, workforce development and increased reliance on the cloud for IT solutions. In addition, the group will attend a briefing at the White House to hear more about the Administration’s priorities related to jobs, innovation and competitiveness, and ways the IT industry can help drive these initiatives.
“The IT industry is a vital driver of the economy and continues to impact almost every sector, from government and education to consulting, financial services, hospitality and health care,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA. “In order to serve those markets, our members need partners in Congress who understand that allowing the IT industry to continue to flourish will grow jobs and spur broad technological innovation for years to come.”
A top priority for the CompTIA delegation this week will be to reassess tax policies that adversely affect small businesses, such as the payroll tax. Small IT businesses are significantly impacted by the burdensome filing requirements and financial impact of the payroll tax. This burden only increases in an economic downturn. CompTIA members will meet with legislators to work toward lowering payroll tax costs and streamlining the filing process, which ultimately will create more high-paid, high-skilled jobs in the IT industry.
Increasing employment also will be on the agenda as demand for IT workers continues to outpace the available pool of qualified workers. Currently there are 450,000 unfilled IT-related jobs. CompTIA and its members will meet with legislators to discuss federal policies that could help close the IT workforce shortage, in particular utilizing certification and technical education to prepare workers. CompTIA and its membership are advocating that resources be allocated to re-train workers in order to place them in positions that are now waiting to be filled.
“Many of my employees did not start out working in the IT industry, but through training and additional resources they have found their calling in our industry,” said Lester Keizer, chief executive officer, XiloCore. “I own a business in Las Vegas, a city with one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation. Currently I have three open vacancies I need to fill, but they need to be properly trained and certified and that takes resources that I don’t have. I hope that working with the federal government will help provide additional resources so we can fill these open job positions with those seeking a career in IT.”
Demand for properly trained workers will only increase as more of our country’s infrastructure relies on information technology. One of America’s biggest cybersecurity threats remains the shortage of IT security professionals. Cloud computing usage has skyrocketed among federal agencies, and CompTIA’s members will discuss with legislators how a properly trained IT workforce can protect our networks and keep confidential materials safe.
For more information on CompTIA’s advocacy efforts go to www.TechVoice.org.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. As a non-profit trade association advancing the global interests of IT professionals and companies, CompTIA is the recognized authority for IT education and credentials and the primary advocate for IT businesses and workers. Through its foundation, CompTIA also enables disadvantaged populations to gain the skills they need for employment in the IT industry. CompTIA’s vision of the IT landscape is shaped by more than 25 years of global perspective and more than 2,000 members and 1,000 business partners. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/comptia.