SHIFT
SHIFT (Technology First SHIFT, LLC) is a North Carolina-based edtech and accreditation platform offering NADSP-accredited certifications, organizational accreditation, and live training in Technology First and Employment First practices for LTSS providers serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAsheville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SHIFT does
SHIFT (Technology First SHIFT, LLC) is a North Carolina-based edtech and accreditation platform serving the long-term services and supports (LTSS) field, with a focus on organizations supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The company operates two parallel practice pillars — Technology First and Employment First — and delivers NADSP-accredited professional certifications (ETIS, ETN, ETL under Technology First; EFJD, EFJC, EFL under Employment First), live virtual foundational training sessions, organizational accreditation programs evaluated against proprietary standards frameworks (Technology First 12 and Employment First 8), and free self-advocacy resources.
The company delivers its content via the SHIFT Learner Platform, a cloud-based Learning Management System built on TalentLMS that hosts self-paced certification coursework, live virtual training sessions, Tech First Talks recordings, and the Technology First Community of Practice. Its core intellectual property consists of proprietary standards frameworks and NADSP/ACRE-accredited curriculum developed by national subject matter experts including Constance Harrington and Jill Ibbotson. The third-party LMS dependency means platform engineering is largely outsourced, while all content, assessment, and accreditation logic is proprietary.
Revenue is generated through three streams: individual professional certifications priced $399–$999 with 2-year validity and recurring renewals at $299–$749, organizational accreditation revenue-tiered at $3,000–$12,000 over a 2-year cycle, and live virtual Foundations training at $99 per person. The company operates a sales-led go-to-market with a community-led retention motion, targeting provider organizations, state agencies, and support coordination organizations, with 350+ organizations reportedly engaged across 37 US states and Canada.
SHIFT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SHIFT
- Legal name
- Technology First SHIFT, LLC
- Website
- https://techfirstshift.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SHIFT (Technology First SHIFT, LLC) is a North Carolina-based edtech and accreditation platform offering NADSP-accredited certifications, organizational accreditation, and live training in Technology First and Employment First practices for LTSS providers serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SHIFT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Services Education and Accreditation
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Change Management for Operations Transformations (EDABAKAM)
Keywords
Where SHIFT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Asheville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SHIFT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Certification Programs: SHIFT offers Technology First and Employment First professional certifications delivered in virtual, self-paced format. Certifications include ETIS ($999), ETN, ETL, EFJD ($599), EFJC ($399), and EFL. All certifications are valid for 2 years and include free access to Tech First Talks and Community of Practice. Renewal pricing is available at reduced rates.
- Foundations Live Training: Two-hour interactive live virtual sessions (Technology First Foundations and Employment First Foundations) offered monthly at $99 per person. Registration closes 3 business days prior to session. These serve as entry-point education leading to full certification enrollment.
- Organizational Accreditation: Technology First and Employment First accreditation programs for organizations, with pricing based on annual revenue ($3,000 to $12,000 depending on organization size). Fees cover a full 2-year initial accreditation period including ongoing support. Accredited organizations must maintain minimum educated staff levels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enabling Technology Integration Specialist (ETIS) Certification |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enabling Technology Navigator (ETN) Certification |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enabling Technology Leadership (ETL) Certification |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Employment First Job Developer (EFJD) Certification - ACRE Approved |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Employment First Job Coach (EFJC) Certification |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Employment First Leadership (EFL) Certification |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Technology First Foundations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Employment First Foundations |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Technology First Organizational Accreditation |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Employment First Organizational Accreditation |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
SHIFT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SHIFT provides NADSP-accredited professional certifications, organizational accreditation programs, and foundational live training in Technology First and Employment First practices for the long-term services and supports field. The company delivers virtual self-paced coursework through a cloud-based learning management system (TalentLMS), supported by community of practice sessions, expert-led talks, and frameworks (Technology First 12, Employment First 8) that guide organizations through enabling technology adoption and competitive integrated employment transformation.
Product overview
SHIFT is a unified professional education and accreditation platform offering two complementary pillars — Technology First and Employment First — targeting professionals and organizations in the long-term services and supports field. The Technology First pillar includes three NADSP-accredited certifications (ETIS, ETN, ETL) plus a live foundational training (Technology First Foundations), a 12-standard accreditation framework, and the Technology First Community of Practice. The Employment First pillar, launched in 2024, includes three NADSP/ACRE-accredited certifications (EFJD, EFJC, EFL), a live foundational training (Employment First Foundations), and an 8-standard accreditation framework. Both pillars are delivered via the SHIFT Learner Platform (TalentLMS), with Tech First Talks providing supplementary expert-led content. SHIFT also offers free resources including the My Work, My Way self-advocacy training for job seekers, and recognizes outstanding practitioners through the annual Dustin A. Wright Tech First Champion Award.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Enabling Technology Integration Specialist (ETIS) Certification NADSP-accredited professional certification for professionals who assess, implement, and support enabling technology solutions within organizations. Includes virtual self-paced coursework, experiential learning project, 50-question comprehensive exam, and 2-year certification validity with $999 initial enrollment and $749 renewal.
- Enabling Technology Navigator (ETN) Certification NADSP-accredited professional certification for case managers, service coordinators, and program coordinators who develop person-centered plans. Strengthens ability to integrate technology into planning conversations and support informed choice. Valid for 2 years.
- Enabling Technology Leadership (ETL) Certification NADSP-accredited professional certification for organizational leaders responsible for driving a Technology First culture shift. Prepares leaders to guide systems change, align policies and practices, and lead organizational accreditation efforts. Valid for 2 years.
- Technology First Foundations Two-hour interactive live virtual training session providing foundational knowledge of the Technology First approach to services. Accredited by NADSP and offered monthly at $99 per person as entry-point education leading to certification enrollment.
- Employment First Job Developer (EFJD) Certification NADSP and ACRE-approved certification for professionals who develop and create employment opportunities for people receiving long-term support services. Combines Employment First Fundamentals, Job Coach coursework, and specialized job-development training. $599 initial enrollment, renews at $449.
- Employment First Job Coach (EFJC) Certification NADSP-accredited certification for professionals who support individuals in the workplace. Combines Employment First Fundamentals with specialized job coaching coursework. $399 initial enrollment, renews at $299.
- Employment First Leadership (EFL) Certification
Quantifiable outcome
- Learners now consider technology solutions in person-centered planning (statistic from SHIFT's impact data)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use SHIFT
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SHIFT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
SHIFT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP)coreNADSP provides accreditation for SHIFT's Technology First and Employment First education and professional certifications. This accreditation ensures SHIFT's curriculum meets rigorous, nationally recognized standards for quality and professional relevance in the direct support services field. The partnership establishes SHIFT as a provider of accredited education within the NADSP network.
- BoundaryCareminorBoundaryCare's Senior Partnerships Manager Darcie Marks serves as a speaker for SHIFT's Tech First Talks, sharing insights on enabling technology implementation from the perspective of a technology vendor partnering with disability service organizations. This represents a vendor-expert speaker partnership for SHIFT's learner education content.
- Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE)coreACRE provides approval for SHIFT's Employment First Job Developer (EFJD) certification, ensuring the curriculum meets established standards for employment services education. This partnership validates the quality and relevance of SHIFT's employment-focused professional development offerings.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights4 records
SHIFT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Relias: Relias is a large-scale online training and compliance platform serving human services, behavioral health, and disability provider organizations. It is a broad incumbent offering workforce training across many adjacent verticals but with comparable training delivery and certification mechanics for the same LTSS customer base SHIFT serves.
- CARF International: CARF International is an established, broad-scope accreditor for health and human services, including disability and employment service providers. It is a broad incumbent in organizational accreditation overlapping with SHIFT's accreditation buyers.
Emerging players
- National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP): NADSP is the national credentialing body for direct support professionals, offering the DSP credentialed and Certified Direct Support Professional certifications. It is both a partner (accreditor of SHIFT's curriculum) and a partial peer setting standards for the same DSP workforce.
- Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE): ACRE is the national organization that approves employment specialist training programs, including the widely recognized ACRE-approved Employment Specialist Training. It is a partial peer for employment-focused training and serves as an approver of SHIFT's EFJD certification.
- The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices: The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices trains and certifies person-centered planning facilitators used in the same disability services organizations SHIFT supports. It is a partial peer in professional development and certification for the same person-centered planning workforce.
- Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston: ICI conducts research, training, and technical assistance on employment and community inclusion for people with disabilities. It is a partial peer in workforce and Employment First education serving overlapping state agencies and provider organizations.
Direct peers
- College of Direct Support: College of Direct Support provides online courses and credentialing for direct support professionals in the intellectual and developmental disabilities field. It is a direct peer addressing the same DSP workforce with foundational training and continuing education.
- CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership: CQL offers organizational accreditation and quality assurance for intellectual and developmental disability service providers, including Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation. It is a direct peer in the organizational accreditation market SHIFT addresses with its Technology First and Employment First accreditation programs.
- DirectCourse: DirectCourse is an online training platform purpose-built for the disability and LTSS workforce, including curricula developed with subject matter experts for direct support professionals. It is a direct peer in delivering accredited continuing education and certification to the same DSP audience SHIFT targets.
Regional players
- ANCOR (American Network of Community Options and Resources): ANCOR is a national membership association for disability service provider organizations, offering advocacy, education, and resources to the same provider audience SHIFT serves. It is an association-based peer providing member education and convening, adjacent to SHIFT's training and accreditation business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SHIFT social profiles
Digital presenceSHIFT compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
SHIFT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SHIFT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
SHIFT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SHIFT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SHIFT
What does SHIFT do?
SHIFT provides NADSP-accredited professional certifications, organizational accreditation programs, and foundational live training in Technology First and Employment First practices for the long-term services and supports field. The company delivers virtual self-paced coursework through a cloud-based learning management system (TalentLMS), supported by community of practice sessions, expert-led talks, and frameworks (Technology First 12, Employment First 8) that guide organizations through enabling technology adoption and competitive integrated employment transformation.
Is SHIFT a public or private company?
SHIFT is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SHIFT founded?
SHIFT was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SHIFT based?
SHIFT is headquartered in Asheville, United States, in the North America region.
How does SHIFT make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Certification Programs are the primary driver. The others are foundations Live Training and organizational Accreditation.
Who are SHIFT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Relias and CARF International. Emerging players are National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE), The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices and Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston. Direct peers are College of Direct Support, CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership and DirectCourse. ANCOR (American Network of Community Options and Resources) is listed as a regional player.
Does SHIFT have an API?
No public API is recorded for SHIFT.
What industry is SHIFT in?
SHIFT's product category is Disability Services Education and Accreditation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAKAM, Change Management for Operations Transformations. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8742.