For Immediate Release:
March 30, 2023
Primary Media Contact:
Sally Voth
Public Relations Specialist
[email protected]
Phone: 540-868-7134
Laurel Ridge will begin offering ITIL 4 Foundation, an internationally recognized in-demand IT management certification, beginning this June. Students taking the ITIL course will learn the skills they need to lead and manage an IT business service through every stage.
Additionally, the fast-paced, four-week online course will prepare students for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam. It is being offered by Laurel Ridge Community College Workforce Solutions with certification provided through PeopleCert, the global leader in assessing and certifying professional skills.
“Our college is the heartbeat of workforce development, and we are the direct line to providing the skilled workforce local employers need,” said Laurel Ridge Marketing Director Guy Curtis. “The IT realm in organizations, especially in a post-pandemic and hybrid working world, needs so many skilled people, and training in ITIL 4 will meet their needs while also creating long-term careers for our graduates – with average annual salaries for entry-level workers starting at almost $110,000.
“With the number of tough-to-fill jobs in the market, we are inviting more people to gain education and training and move forward in their working lives. And, with the need for IT service management skills on the rise across the nation, ITIL is a great foundation course to obtain management skills, which lay the foundation for other stackable credentials.”
ITIL was originally developed by the British government to improve performance in IT services and has been adopted by IT professionals and organizations in multiple industry sectors worldwide, helping to increase business value through digital and IT services.
“This program is ideal for students currently working as it enhances their current skills and can help them launch a new career and become more marketable in the workforce,” Curtis said. “One of our core values – a passion for lifelong learning – is about the need for individuals to keep pursuing new opportunities, to grow and keep pace with the in-demand skills of today.
“And, with ITIL recognized by both the G3 and the FastForward grant programs as a training course resulting in industry credentials for high-demand professions in the region, this makes it more affordable for students to subsidize their next career move.”
FastForward grant funding covers two-thirds of the tuition costs for Virginia residents, and the G3 program pays for costs not already covered by grants and other financial aid for qualified students. Learn more at laurelridgeworkforce.com/ITIL.
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Founded in 1970, Laurel Ridge Community College is a multi-campus public institution of higher education. With three locations — Middletown, Warrenton, and Luray-Page County — the College serves eight localities in the Shenandoah Valley and northern Piedmont regions. The localities are the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren and the city of Winchester. Laurel Ridge offers more than 75 associate degree and certificate programs in a wide variety of disciplines, in addition to providing access to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs offered on site by a four-year institution. Laurel Ridge also serves the business community by offering workforce preparation programs for employees and employers. Laurel Ridge serves more than 9,000 unduplicated credit students and more than 11,000 individuals in professional development and business and industry courses annually.
Laurel Ridge Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Laurel Ridge Community College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Laurel Ridge Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Laurel Ridge Community College is an equal opportunity institution providing educational and employment opportunities, programs, services, and activities. Laurel Ridge shall promote and maintain equal employment and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions including lactation, age (except when age is a bona fide occupational qualification), status as a veteran, national origin, or other non-merit factors. Laurel Ridge also prohibits sexual misconduct including sexual violence or harassment. Inquiries may be directed to the Associate Vice President, Human Resources, [email protected], 173 Skirmisher Lane, Middletown, VA 22645, 540-868-7226.
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.
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