NEW IT Alliance – August Tech Upload
NEW Digital News
On July 23, the NEW IT Alliance conducted Northeast Wisconsin’s first ever Intern Collaboration Event for member organizations. Thirty interns from five member companies gathered to learn more about the region, and to give back to the community. Leading up to the event, the planning committee selected 6 of the 23 nonprofits, all seeking help with tech related projects. The majority of the nonprofits came needing help with social media and marketing best practices, while one sought help with some e-safety training for their staff. Each of the nonprofits was paired with a group of five interns based on their skills and interests.
The interns came from 16 different majors, with half of them studying an IT related field. Other interns came from law, marketing, business continuity, logistics, and other fields. With only 25% of the students studying at colleges in Northeast Wisconsin, and fully half of them studying at out of state schools, the event provided an excellent way to help connect students to the region in a meaningful way, in hopes that they return following graduation. Young professional organizations and chambers from across the region also attended the event, and shared information about their local communities. The event was considered a great success by all who attended, and feedback indicated they would all want to participate again next year. In the words of one cyber security intern from Thrivent “I’m paying a lot of money for my degree, and this was a great opportunity to apply what I’m learning and give back to the community at the same time. Thank you for the opportunity!”
At the end of the event, we shared a bit more about the NEW IT Alliance, including our event page, IT professionals page, and job board. These pages are a great place to go to see what tech events are happening in the region, connect with IT professionals with similar interests, or event to find a new position. With 94 open postings from member companies, the NEW IT Alliance job board is a great portal to connect job seekers to your company.
Explore IT and Digital Careers
Meet this month’s featured IT professional, Sam, an IT Project Manager from member company NSight. Sam is part of an ongoing series called Meet the NEW IT. This series of videos works to introduce the numerous roles within IT, while helping to change stereotypes on what IT is and who IT professionals are. Videos are accessible via our website, and are also promoted via social media in order to connect with youth exploring future career fields and job seekers from outside the region.
Up Next: TechTalent Summit
Coming up in late September, we will be launching another member only event – our TechTalent Summit. This year’s summit will focus on connecting colleges and member companies to explore collaboration opportunities. With the help of local experts, we will also be looking at how we connect blind and neurodiverse individuals with IT education opportunities and careers. This will be a great opportunity for member companies to explore how to close the IT talent gap and increase diversity in their workforce. More information will be coming on our event page, as well as via email to members. Contact us if you would like more information about the event, or how to become a member.
Member Spotlight - Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction
Each month, we are showcasing our members by a “Member Spotlight” article on our blog page. These spotlights are a way for our members to help the community learn about who they are, and more importantly why community members might want to work for them. The member spotlight for August is on Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction. Learn more about Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction by clicking on the link below!
Regional News
The Smart Workplace: How 3 Local Companies Are Using the IoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) has made your home smart; you can program heating, lighting and security systems to automatically adjust themselves. You can program your Roomba to vacuum when you’re asleep. You can ask Google or Alexa to play the music you like when you come home. So why shouldn’t your workplace be smart as well?
The good news is that the workplace is smarter than it was a few years ago, but maybe not in the way you’d think. (Although companies like Amazon and Google are certainly betting on offices becoming just as smart and voice-activated as homes, the ubiquitous smart office is probably just a few years down the road.)
On the other hand, manufacturing industries have been putting the IoT to good use since it was first introduced. Sensors have transformed the industry and are helping make the factory floor one of the smartest workplaces around.
Learn more about how local companies are using the IoT for their benefit (and even prevent theft!) and what organizations need to get started with IoT by clicking the link below.
2019 GenCyber Teacher Camp
This week, UW Green Bay is hosting the 2019 GenCyber Teacher Camp for teachers and educators who are passionate about providing students with the tools they need to be safe and responsible online. The vision of the GenCyber program is to be part of the solution to the Nation’s shortfall of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Ensuring that enough young people are inspired to direct their talents in this area is critical to the future of our country’s national and economic security as we become even more reliant on cyber-based technology in every aspect of our daily lives. At the camp, a team of cybersecurity experts guide participants through hands-on activities using current technologies, introducing the concept of digital citizenship and giving participants online safety information to share in their classrooms.
This year, GenCyber had a record number of teacher/educator applicants, including multiple out-of-state candidates. Given the high interest in this event and multiple wait-listed applicants, UWGB is hosting a free, one-day cyber educational workshop for teachers/educators on Saturday, August 24th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Selected cyber lessons and learning activities from this year’s GenCyber program will be covered and offered during this one day workshop. Lunch and access to cyber curriculum will also be provided to participants of this one-day workshop. Registration is open from now until Friday, August 16th. A detailed schedule and workshop agenda will be made available to registered participants during the week of August 19th.
Advancing Cybersecurity in the Industry, Energy, Water Nexus
The need for cyber security has become increasingly important as more systems and communications rely on internet connectivity and electronic control. The risks, methods of prevention, actions for mitigation, and the path to recovery are shared among all aspects of business and community in Wisconsin. To provide a complete introduction and relevant case studies this conference is providing focused panels on Industry, Energy, Water, and Talent. Each panel has been developed with sector experts including the Midwest Energy Research Consortium, the NEW IT Alliance, The Water Council, and the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Regardless of your current status in the path towards becoming prepared for cyber security risks we welcome you to attend, learn, and network.
Join us on August 22 from 9:00 – 4:00 at UW Oshkosh to learn more about cyber security. All interested individuals, regardless of industry, are invited to attend.
Insight Wins Three National Awards
Insight Publications won three national business journalism awards in the Alliance of Area Business Publishers 2019 Editorial Excellence Awards competition.
They won a Gold (first place) award in Best Auxiliary Publication-Small Category. The award recognized Insight on Technology, a quarterly publication focused on technology and the high demand for additional IT workers in the New North. The NEW IT Alliance Director, Kim Iversen, is frequently featured in this publication.
Read more about the other awards Insight was recognized for and the AABP competition by clicking the link below.