Downer’s Grove, IL –– March 22, 2012 –– Today, CompTIA, through its TechVoice partnership with the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and other state-based technology associations around the country, made a $5,000 grant to support education in STEM fields in the state of Georgia. The grant is one in a series of grants CompTIA is making on behalf of its TechVoice partners to support community-based efforts to promote IT and IT workforce development, education and training.

“The advancement of STEM education is critical to building our nation’s future technology workforce,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA. “Students who are better educated in these areas can become more effective and innovative employees in technology companies and in IT jobs supporting companies in almost every sector of the economy. Through our foundation, Creating IT Futures, and partnerships such as TechVoice, CompTIA is contributing to local STEM education – and workforce readiness - in states across the country, including Georgia.”

The TAG Education Collaborative has been designated the recipient of CompTIA’s grant. The organization is the charitable arm of the Technology Association of Georgia and it was established to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in Georgia’s K-12 schools in order to meet the demands of the future workforce. TAG-Ed programs include the WEBChallenge competition, which gives students a chance to compete for scholarship money by developing and marketing a website or mobile website to teach their peers about STEM subjects. TAG-Ed also offers a High School Summer Internship program to give students interested in STEM careers experience working in a true business setting at local technology companies.

“Improving STEM education in our schools is an important part of TAG’s mission to educate, promote, influence and unite Georgia’s growing technology community,” said Tino Mantella, President and CEO of TAG. “Engaging technology leaders like CompTIA to help promote STEM education is one way that we are supporting the development of a technology workforce for our local technology community.”

CompTIA’s grant to the TAG Education Collaborative is part of CompTIA’s policy to support the creation of jobs in the technology industry. Its foundation, the Creating IT Futures Foundation, provides training and certification opportunities to people who have historically been under-represented in the IT workforce, including individuals with disabilities, at-risk youth, women, and military personnel and their spouses.

“We are honored to receive this grant from CompTIA and are pleased that other members of the technology community are joining in the march to make STEM education a priority with our schools, legislators, parents and, most importantly, students,” said Michael Robertson, executive director of the TAG Education Collaborative. “Technology is the future for our world, but we need an educated workforce to keep our state, and nation, at the forefront of innovation.”

“Overall, we hope to further the growth and development of the IT industry through the creation and support of programs that increase the size and improve the quality of our technology workforce,” said Thibodeaux.

About CompTIA CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at Http://www.Twitter.com/comptia.

About TAG Education Collaborative TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed) is the charitable arm of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the leading technology industry association in the state. TAG-Ed initiatives include a student internship program, the WEBChallenge competition for high school students, and the Vine Event, a fundraiser launched in 2009 which has raised more than $80,000 to support STEM education. TAG-Ed provides middle school and high school programs designed to provide these students with hands-on activities that enable them to gain an appreciation for the opportunities available in STEM careers. For additional information, visit www.tagedonline.org or contact Michael Robertson at (404) 920 – 2038 or mrobertson@tagonline.org

About TechVoice TechVoice (www.techvoice.org) is a partnership of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA), and participating regional technology associations. Collectively, we represent thousands of technology companies across the country employing millions of workers. We are dedicated to empowering and mobilizing the grassroots tech community to impact legislative and regulatory issues important to growth, innovation and job creation.