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National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™ Launches First of its Kind Certification for Advanced Manufacturing and Tech-Related Programs

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NIICA certification assures ongoing alignment with the ever-changing needs of the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries

HANOVER, Md., Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™ (NIICA), the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) national Intermediary for establishing and expanding Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing supply chains, has announced its education program certification designed to ensure that training programs and degree pathways align with evolving employer needs in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries.

Through its innovative National Talent Hub™ (NTH) and its comprehensive database of industry competencies, NIICA offers a dynamic, data-driven certification process that ensures education and training programs remain aligned with employer job requirements and evolving Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Unlike traditional certification models, the NIICA Certification™ leverages technology and automation through the NTH to provide real-time updates, enabling institutions to adapt their curricula to meet the ever-changing demands of the advanced manufacturing and semiconductor industries.

NIICA redesigned and maintains the Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model listed in the USDOL Competency Model Clearinghouse and developed the nation’s first semiconductor competency standard that informs the Semiconductor Competency Model. This data is included in the NTH database and is continually informed on an ongoing basis by industry input.

“True alignment between education and industry has always remained elusive and has required manual processes and physical interactions in an attempt to keep up with more technical job requirements,” said Mike Russo, NIICA President & CEO. “We at the Institute have worked with industry representatives over several years to develop the related knowledge, skills, and abilities required to succeed on the job and progress in careers spanning advanced manufacturing industries. Our work has included semiconductor industry roles, detailed down to specific employers and jobs, eliminating the need to spend time and money to develop these KSA profiles. Through our National Talent Hub™ and NIICA Certification™, we are now providing an automated process and seamless platform for aligning education programs with industry needs in real time, ensuring individuals gain the skills and competencies required to succeed in these high-demand fields.”

NIICA’s certification process begins when education and training providers submit program profiles through the NTH. These programs are evaluated for alignment against an industry-informed competency database, which identifies and standardizes the KSAs required for advanced manufacturing and tech job roles, with an emphasis on the semiconductor industry and its supply chain. The certification not only validates alignment with industries that have the same foundational skills requirements, but also signals alignment to specific occupations, providing employers, workforce boards, and learners confidence in program outcomes. There is also additional value for individuals and employers; individuals doing career and education mapping through the NTH will be directed to certified education programs and employers will be able to see these certified programs when they are looking for education resources.

“The National Talent Hub™ revolutionizes how education aligns with industry,” said Clay Nagel, Senior Director of NIICA’s National Center for Skill-Based Learning (CSBL). “Through real-time feedback on job requirements and KSAs, the National Talent Hub™ helps ensure education programs remain connected to the evolving needs of employers. Coupled with NIICA’s certification process, we’re creating a framework where education and industry work together to prepare workers for meaningful careers in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries – careers that require the same foundational and transferrable skills.”

NIICA’s certification supports its broader workforce development initiatives, including its work as the USDOL’s national lead in the development and expansion of RAs for semiconductor and nanotechnology related industries and their supply chains. This work is being advanced under the Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductors™ (GAINS™) program and supports the Semiconductor and Advanced Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship Program™ (SAM-TAP™), with education programs validated for curricular alignment through the NTH often providing the Related Technical Instruction (RTI), ensuring participants receive training that aligns with industry-specific demands.

Since its inception in 2022, NIICA’s GAINS program has secured:

118 employers engaged in RAs in 27 states7,554 apprentices committed to the program3,010 active Registered Apprentices154 standards signed or under development60 colleges and related education and training providers in NIICA’s national network supporting related technical instruction

Many of the NIICA certified education providers are also a part of the Semiconductor Industry Network of Colleges™ (SINC™), a growing network of 60 colleges and related education and training providers across the country that are supporting related technical instruction. In addition to community colleges, any education program and training provider can seek NIICA certification for its programs.

These certifications and tools are part of NIICA’s broader efforts to align education, workforce development, and industry needs. Below are some of the key initiatives driving NIICA’s mission to build sustainable talent pipelines:

Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductors™ (GAINS™): GAINS is a USDOL-funded RA initiative focused on revolutionizing workforce development in advanced manufacturing and tech. By prioritizing skill-based learning over traditional time-based training, GAINS provides participants with mentorship, hands-on training, and the foundational competencies necessary to excel related industries.

Gateway Apprenticeship Program™ (G.A.P.): G.A.P. bridges the gap between high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) and employment. This scalable program leverages the existing education system to integrate pre-apprenticeship frameworks with RAs, ensuring that students gain the necessary skills to seamlessly transition into promising careers in high-tech fields or pursue further education.

Semiconductor Industry Network of Community Colleges™ (SINC™): SINC connects 60 colleges and related education and training providers with employers nationwide, to ensure curriculum is aligned with job requirements, creating a national network of RTI providers to support RAs and career advancement.

National Talent Hub™ (NTH): The NTH is a state-of-the-art portal that uses advanced data analytics to connect jobseekers to employers and training programs that target their specific needs. Unlike typical job matching services that use resumes and job descriptions to create matches, the NTH uses a dynamic database of required job competencies that is continually informed by industry to provide insights into the degree of alignment between individuals, careers, and course curriculum.

Semiconductor and Advanced Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship Program™ (SAM-TAP™): NIICA’s SAM-TAP initiative supports states, employers, and training providers in developing competency-based RAs. As a USDOL Intermediary, NIICA provides these services at no cost, collaborating with state apprenticeship offices and commerce departments to expand talent pipelines in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors.

VetConnect & Veteran’s Fellowship Program: VetConnect connects veterans with RAs in advanced manufacturing and tech-based industries, providing additional resources through the VALOR Act to support their transition from military service into civilian careers. This initiative leverages NIICA’s Intermediary capabilities and ensures that veterans receive the support they need to succeed in high-growth fields like semiconductor manufacturing.

To learn more about NIICA’s certification process, visit www.niica.org/certification. For an in-depth look at the NTH, visit www.niica.org/national-talent-hub.

About the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™

NIICA is a 501(c)(3) organization that is responsible for a national strategy to build the talent pipeline to support strategic industry sectors – tech-based industries and advanced manufacturing tied to U.S. national security and global competitiveness. 

NIICA is the nation’s leader in semiconductor talent pipeline development strategy and is the U.S. Department of Labor’s national RA industry Intermediary responsible for establishing and expanding RAs throughout the semiconductor and broader nanotechnology-related industries and advanced manufacturing supply chain. All related programing and support are being advanced through NIICA’s Center for Skill-Based Learning and the National Talent Pipeline Development Initiative.

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SOURCE National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement

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Jack Henry’s Annual Survey of Financial Institutions Highlights Priorities Amid Economic Uncertainty and a New Hybrid Monetary Era

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April 28, 2026

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Banks and credit unions plan to increase technology spending, led by investments in AI, digital banking, and data analytics

MONETT, Mo., April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Banks and credit unions are prioritizing operational efficiency, deposit growth, and new payment capabilities as they navigate economic uncertainty and increasing technological complexity, according to findings from Jack Henry’s eighth annual Strategy Benchmark.

Jack Henry® (Nasdaq: JKHY) surveyed 193 executives from financial institutions using Jack Henry solutions. The survey highlights the industry’s most pressing strategic priorities, top concerns, and technology investment plans for the next two years.

“Banks and credit unions have finally recognized their biggest competitive threat in Big Fintech and Big Crypto,” says Lee Wetherington, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy and lead author of the benchmark. “As we enter a new hybrid monetary era, the game is changing and charter franchises are under attack. The goal of strategy is no longer simply to win but to ensure you’re competing to win the right game.”

The vast majority of financial institutions plan to increase technology spending, with 88% expecting to raise their tech budgets over the next two years, up from 76% last year. Four in 10 institutions (41%) plan increases of 6% to 10%, compared with 33% a year ago. Artificial intelligence (48%) is the top planned technology investment for the first time, followed by digital banking (38%) and data analytics (32%). While banks remain focused on growing deposits (64%) as their top strategic priority in 2026-2027, credit unions (40%) continue to place outsized emphasis on acquiring younger accountholders (Gen Z/Alpha).

“Financial institutions are in a high-stakes race for Gen Z and small business,” says Jennifer Geis, Senior Strategic Advisor of Corporate Strategy at Jack Henry and Managing Editor of the study. “Given Gen Z now drives most small-business formation—and given small-business deposits are 4-5X larger than retail—understanding and meeting the unique needs of “bizumers” is key to growth, whether you frame it in terms of deposits or demographics.”

Among the highlights from the survey:

PaymentsMore than nine out of 10 CEOs (94%) plan to add new payment services within the next two years, yet only 36% have a formal payments strategy in place.More than four out of five (82%) financial institutions plan to incorporate tap-to-pay as part of their strategy to add younger accountholders.Nearly half (47%) of CEOs plan to embed payments into their digital banking experience over the next two years.Small Business FocusThree out of four CEOs say they plan to expand services for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).The most common planned addition is payment services, including FedNow®, request for payment, and tap-to-pay. 
 Cryptocurrency18% of CEOs plan to support stablecoins, tokenized money, and/or cryptocurrency by the end of 2027. This includes:Tokenized deposits/deposit tokensSupport for on-chain wallets for accountholdersAbility to orchestrate, exchange, and settle dollars to and from stablecoins/crypto.However, only 3% of CEOs report having a formal stablecoin strategy in place.
 Getting YoungerThe second most important strategic priority for credit unions (and fourth overall) is adding younger accountholders. It is also one of the top three concerns for CEOs.More than 40% of credit unions have a formal strategy, compared to just 10% of banks.Fintechs and neobanks are considered the biggest competitive threat in this area.Data analytics and AILeveraging data is the 5th most important strategic priority overall among banks and credit unionsPlans to implement AI grew double digits compared to last year1/3 of FIs plan to embed data collection/analysis tools within digital banking

The study’s results are based on an online survey conducted in January and February 2026 of a diverse sample of Jack Henry clients with assets ranging from less than $500 million to more than $5 billion. Download the eBook to learn more.

About Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.®
Jack Henry® (Nasdaq: JKHY) is a well-rounded financial technology company that strengthens connections between financial institutions and the people and businesses they serve. We are an S&P 500 company that prioritizes openness, collaboration, and user centricity – offering banks and credit unions a vibrant ecosystem of internally developed modern capabilities as well as the ability to integrate with leading fintechs. For 50 years, Jack Henry has provided technology solutions to enable clients to innovate faster, strategically differentiate, and successfully compete while serving the evolving needs of their accountholders. We empower approximately 7,400 clients with people-inspired innovation, personal service, and insight-driven solutions that help reduce the barriers to financial health. Additional information is available at jackhenry.com.

Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the Company’s most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, particularly under the heading “Risk Factors.” Any forward-looking statement made in this news release speaks only as of the date of the news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SOURCE Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

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CorroHealth Honored As Stevie® Award Winner In 2026 American Business Awards®

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April 28, 2026

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PLANO, Texas, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Leading revenue cycle technology company CorroHealth was named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in the Health Provider category in The 24th Annual American Business Awards®.

The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. This year, the program received more than 3,600 nominations from organizations across virtually every industry.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious award and to be recognized alongside many esteemed American business leaders,” said Pat Leonard, CEO of CorroHealth. “This acknowledgement reflects CorroHealth’s ongoing commitment to the healthcare industry, serving as the leading revenue cycle technology company built for the future of healthcare finance.”

CorroHealth earned recognition for its mission and purpose, transforming healthcare operations and driving innovation to deliver better outcomes for hospitals and health systems. The company was selected after a methodical nomination process and careful evaluation of its industry impact and dedication to bridging the gap between patient care and financial performance.

More than 250 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners. One judge who evaluated the nomination stated, “CorroHealth’s blend of expert driven services and AI-powered platforms delivers measurable, enterprise scale financial gains that far exceed industry norms.” The judges also recognized the company as a leader in innovation and operational excellence within the healthcare financial technology sector.

To learn more about CorroHealth, visit corrohealth.com.

About CorroHealth 
CorroHealth, the leading healthcare technology and revenue cycle management company that helps providers and payers improve financial performance through automation, data-driven analytics, and clinically led expertise. CorroHealth delivers integrated, scalable solutions that support complex reimbursement and documentation workflows, backed by a global workforce operating in more than 10 locations, including the United States, United Kingdom, India, and the United Arab Emirates. The company was recently named one of the “Top Places to Work in Healthcare in 2026” by Becker’s Healthcare and a Great Place To Work® Certified™ in India for the second time in two years. Further information is available at corrohealth.com.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the new Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes, as well as the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding workplace performance worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Media Contact:
CorroHealth
Mellissa Gardner, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer
mellissa.gardner@corrohealth.com

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SOURCE CorroHealth

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Singular Genomics Names John Stark as Chief Executive Officer as Company Builds on Spatial Platform Momentum

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April 28, 2026

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SAN DIEGO, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Singular Genomics Systems, Inc. today announced the appointment of John Stark as Chief Executive Officer. This leadership transition comes as Singular builds on the launch of its market-leading spatial platform and enters its next phase, focused on expanding adoption, deepening strategic partnerships, and increasing the impact of multimodal spatial data across translational research, drug development, and future clinical applications. Josh Stahl will transition to a new role as Independent Director on the Board.

“With Singular’s G4X platform now successfully on the market, the company is positioned to realize spatial pathology’s potential across translational research and clinical applications,” said Allison Ballmer, Chair of the Board. “Josh strengthened Singular and repositioned the company’s technology, culminating in the successful launch of the G4X platform. John’s leadership experience will now help scale the business and capitalize on the opportunity to drive precision medicine forward.”

John brings more than 25 years of experience commercializing innovative technologies while scaling organizations and raising capital. Most recently, John served as Chief Executive Officer of Resolve Biosciences, a spatial biology platform company, where he drove partnerships and routine use across the translational, drug development, and clinical research markets. Prior to Resolve, John served as Chief Executive Officer of Quantum-Si, a next-generation single-molecule protein sequencing platform company, and Chief Executive Officer of Celsee, a single-cell genomics platform company acquired by Bio-Rad in 2020. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership positions at Life Technologies, Pacific Biosciences, and Affymetrix.

“Singular has built a competitive spatial platform and a strong foundation in a rapidly evolving market,” said John Stark, CEO. “I’m excited to build on that momentum – deepening partnerships, scaling adoption, and unlocking broader value from spatial data across research, drug development, and precision medicine.”

“We thank Josh Stahl for building an exceptional foundation for Singular, and welcome John Stark, who brings a long history of commercial leadership to the company,” said Andrew ElBardissi, Partner at Deerfield Management. “We remain confident in Singular’s technology, market opportunity, and path to leadership in precision medicine and are committed to supporting the company’s continued growth.”

About Singular Genomics

Singular is a life science technology company focused on delivering high-throughput spatial pathology solutions to advance precision medicine. The company’s G4X™ Spatial Sequencer enables scalable, multiomic analysis directly in tissue, combining performance, throughput, and cost efficiency to support translational research, AI-driven insights, and clinical developments. Singular is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Singular Genomics undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Media Contact
Darius Fugere
dariusf@singulargenomics.com

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SOURCE Singular Genomics

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