ITA Partners With CompTIA to Support Illinois Pathways Race to the Top Initiative

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - Sep 18, 2012) - The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is pleased to announce its support of Illinois Pathways Race to the Top Initiative via the Information Technology Learning Exchange.

As a partner of CompTIA, who was recently named lead entity of the Information Technology Learning Exchange by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, the ITA will aid in the support of the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning for students and schools across the state.

"The future of the technology industry is in the hands of the next generation of IT professionals", said Fred Hoch, ITA president. "The ITA is thrilled to support the Illinois Pathways Initiative by partnering with business and education communities across Illinois, to encourage this generation of students in their preparations for future employment and industry growth."

Illinois Pathways is a new State of Illinois-led STEM education initiative designed to support college and career readiness for all students. Through partnerships with Illinois' education and economic development agencies, Illinois Pathways supports local programs that empower students to explore their academic and career interests while also supporting new statewide, public-private partnerships known as Learning Exchanges.

Learning Exchanges are organized by career cluster and work to coordinate planning and investment, aggregate resources, and review talent supply-chain performance. They are funded with planning and implementation grants, coupled with cash and in-kind contributions to reflect the public-private partnership strategy.

The ITA's involvement in the Information Technology Learning Exchange complements its mission of supporting the growth of Illinois' technology industry through programming and services driving business development, visibility, and talent attraction to ITA member companies.

CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association, focuses on spreading the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. ITA and CompTIA have been longtime collaborators, most recently partnering on CompTIA's TechVoice initiative.

About the ITA
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is the driving force behind the growth of Illinois' vibrant technology industry. Providing programs and services focused on development, visibility, and talent attraction, ITA accelerates the growth of member company's businesses. ITA brings growth-stage industry companies together, leveraging the connections and experiences of the community to increase the overall success rate of the local industry. Championing the development and application of technologies and leveraging its transformative nature, ITA is an invaluable resource for growing companies.

Contact the ITA at headquarters@illinoistech.org, follow the discussion on Twitter at @itabuzz, and visit www.illinoistech.org to find out more about how ITA supports the growth of the local industry.