News & Events

Companies expand relationship as part of the White House’s 120-day Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint

Jacksonville, Fla. (December 13, 2022) – Distech Controls, an innovation leader connecting people with intelligent building solutions, has expanded its training and workforce development relationship with Automation Strategy & Performance (ASP), a workforce solutions company, to launch a new OT Cybersecurity Specialist apprenticeship program.

The program helps upskill employees of system integrators and distributors with critical IT skills needed to address the cybersecurity risks in operational technology networks.

“By working with the team at ASP, we were able to design and deploy a cybersecurity training program in less than four months, specifically for our system integrator and distributor network,” said Mathieu Houle, vice president of customer experience, Distech Controls.

The 120-day Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint was an initiative run by the U.S. Department of Labor in coordination with the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Defense, and other federal agencies to equip the nation’s economic sectors with greater numbers of qualified cybersecurity workers.

The OT Cybersecurity Specialist apprenticeship program is the second offering made available by ASP to Distech Controls’ global network of hundreds of system integrators and distributors, following the Automation Specialist apprenticeship program, which launched in 2020.

Both apprenticeship programs provide enrolled companies with access to effective solutions to develop skills needed by those working on energy systems, HVAC systems, lighting, access control, and more.

ASP was recognized at the White House this past November for the successful development of its cybersecurity program, which meets the National Standards of Apprenticeship and provides workforce training to address vulnerabilities in smart infrastructure.

“We are proud to collaborate on this next phase of our apprenticeship training program, by offering cybersecurity training to support our customers in helping keep companies, their buildings, and their data protected. To be the first smart infrastructure manufacturer to deploy this program is truly an honor,” said Houle.

According to the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), 64 percent of IT executives cite talent shortages as the most significant barrier to the adoption of emerging technology compared with just 4 percent in 2020.

“Distech Controls has been a great partner as our firm focuses on strategic workforce development challenges faced by the smart infrastructure industry,” said Melissa Boutwell, President, ASP. “As demand for integrated automation continues to grow, employers need technology that reduces the amount of time workers need to spend in training. Distech Controls technology, paired with our ASP programs, delivers a necessary and essential workforce solution for both our customers.

ASP has worked with Distech Controls since 2020 to provide customized apprenticeship programs for its worldwide network of system integrators and distributors.

Distech Controls system integrators and distributors looking to utilize the OT Cybersecurity and Automation Specialist apprenticeship programs offered by ASP and Distech Controls can visit here.

For more information, please contact Alan Byrd, Alan Byrd & Associates, Alan@Byrdconnections.com

About Automation Strategy & Performance:

Automation Strategy & Performance, Inc. is a strategic workforce development partner for employers in the smart infrastructure sector of the automation industry. We solve the top five workforce problems faced by employers in our industry, the top one being upskilling.

ASP was founded by Melissa Boutwell in 2018 after a 30-year career in the automation industry as an operational leader, systems integrator, owners’ representative and college professor.

For more information, please visit ASP-INT.com

About Distech Controls: Distech Controls connects people with intelligent building solutions through our forward-thinking technologies and services. We partner with customers to deliver innovative solutions that can provide better health, better spaces, and better efficiencies. Our passion for innovation, quality and sustainability guides our business, which serves multiple market segments through worldwide business divisions, service offices and a superior network of Authorized System Integrators and Distributors. Distech Controls Inc. is a subsidiary of Acuity Brands, Inc. For more information visit distech-controls.com