Apple has revised the professional training and certification it offers for IT support and management in an effort to build the skills now needed by a growing number of enterprises.
Can’t get staff? Why not train them?
We know that more and more companies are setting up Macs, iPhones and iPads, creating a new challenge: Apple-skilled technology support and growing employee demand. (Demand for Mac is growing as the PC industry shrinks.)
To help keep this in mind, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for skilled workers in these fields for all professions is expected to grow faster than average by 2030. At the same time, research shows huge investments in digital transformation and employee choice, which means Apple’s growth is accelerating, something that has been happening for years.
“More people than ever before are using Macs, iPads and iPhones to do their best, and the demand for Apple-certified IT professionals has never been higher,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of enterprise and education marketing. .
“Apple helps anyone interested in professional training technology – whether they change careers or improve their skills – pursue high-paying IT jobs with certification that will set them apart from potential employers. We strongly believe in the inclusion of technology, so the new courses are automated and freely available, and we are working to ensure that the ability to pay is not a barrier to achieving Apple certification. “
Tom Bridge, Co-Chair of the Mac Admins Foundation, said: “There’s a lot to like about the all-new Apple Professional Training Course, which gives users a solid foundation of ideas and theories about supporting and deploying Apple products.
The Mac Admins Foundation comes from a network of thousands of Mac support professionals, and the size of that group continues to grow. “This is a significant milestone for the Mac admin community – which has grown by 48% since 2019,” Bridge said.
What are the new training courses?
Apple’s newly updated courses – Apple Device Support and Apple Deployment and Management – have been completely redesigned and moved to an online format. These are also built on gradual and user progress as well as skills and concepts.
At the completion of each course, a new certification test is introduced. The courses are free, although the cost of the test required to obtain certification from Apple is $ 149 Certifications may appear on resumes, online profiles, and job boards.
The change comes amid rapid growth across the sector. For example, Apple-centric device management and security company Zamf reports that its Apple IT professional community has grown by more than 150% since 2017 to more than 100,000 members. This means a mandatory requirement for Apple’s experience in IT at all levels of business – even among large companies.
Ford now offers employees Mac
This, of course, is the case with Ford, whose Chief Enterprise Technology Officer, Mike Amand, said in a statement: I will build a digital factory.
“As part of that process, we’re introducing Mac as a choice for our employees,” said Amend “Apple’s new professional training certifications will help us attract highly talented IT people and see that they are successfully managing our Ford + growth plan.”
Ford is not alone. IBM, SAP and many other big names are now proud of the Apple Kit in their fleet, and that reach seems to be expanding rapidly. “I don’t believe you can be a trusted provider of enterprise software if you are not part of the Apple ecosystem,” said Jitu Patel, general manager and executive vice president of Cisco Security and Collaboration.
What is the Apple Device Support Course?
The Apple Device Support course consists of a series of essays and guided exercises aimed at building the skills needed to run a help desk or to coordinate services across a fleet of Apple hardware and devices. The 14-hour help desk covers the tools, services and best practices used by professionals, technical coordinators, or service providers.
The test provides an Apple Certified Support Professional certification.
What is Apple Deployment and Management Course?
The second series of IT series training, Apple Deployment and Management courses, covers how to configure, manage and secure Apple products using the Mobile Device Management (MDM) tool.
The 13-hour course will explain how to create an deployment strategy using Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager and then configure devices with an MDM solution. Once an individual completes the test, they receive Apple Certified IT Professional Certification.
Building diversity and scope, too
Apple is also working to create diversity and opportunities in the sector through these two courses, working with community colleges and universities to offer on-campus preparatory courses for the Certified IT Professional badge. The company will provide scholarships to meet the examination costs of students participating in its Community Education Initiative (CEI) partner organization.
Andrea Swanson completed an Apple training course at Austin Community College (a CEI college) after earning her associate’s degree in cybersecurity specializing in networking administration.
“Consulting with small businesses and managing Apple devices was appropriate for my situation, offering flexibility and appealing to my nature to help,” said Swanson, who was recently hired as a full-time IT consultant and works remotely from Austin. Do that
Apple is working with the Mac Admins Foundation to expand access to these tests. It is helping the Foundation to offer exam vouchers to applicants in financial need. For more details and to apply, visit macadmins.org.
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