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NEW Connect IT 2019

NEW Connect IT 2019On November 21, we held our 3rd annual NEW Connect IT job and career fair at Lambeau Field with record attendance of 560 high school students from 19 school districts throughout the region – all the way from Fond Du Lac and Sheboygan in the south to Sturgeon Bay and Merrill in the north. At the event, students attended a presentation and skit where they learned about the many different roles in IT. They also had an opportunity to talk directly with IT professionals in the Talent Cafe about their jobs and careers. In the Lambeau Field Atrium they met with local technical schools and 4-year universities to learn about the educational programs available to enter into the careers they heard about. Finally, 20 local companies had booths where the students had an opportunity to hear about the specific jobs and careers available right here in Northeast Wisconsin

NEW Connect IT Schools Map

We want to give a big thank you to all our volunteers who helped make the day a success. We had 136 volunteers in all kinds of job roles working throughout the event, from manning the registration table to guiding students around Lambeau to acting in the skit to talking about careers in the Talent Cafe to manning a booth in the Atrium. Thank you! We couldn’t have done it without you!

We are excited to announce that next year’s NEW Connect IT is already confirmed to take place at Lambeau Field again. It will be in the third week in November, but the exact date will depend on the Packers schedule, which will be released in April. Keep reading our future newsletters and subscribe to our social media channels for updates on when registration will be open.

 

New North Summit

The need for IT skills was also at the forefront of the recently completed New North Summit where Jan Allman, CEO of Fincantieri, Jela Trask, Business & Investment Attraction Director of Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Peter Barca all spoke to the increasing demand for cyber security. It was noteworthy that none of these speakers had an IT background, but all recognized the critical role of IT – especially as it relates to bolstering cyber security.

 

Demand for IT Talent

The demand for talent is also heating up to our south. The MKE Tech Hub Coalition in Milwaukee launched this fall with more than $5 million committed from member companies and with a goal of doubling the number of technology workers in Milwaukee over the next 5 years (adding about 30,000 positions). If we are to avoid our young people flocking to larger cities like Milwaukee and Madison, we will also need to step up our efforts to educate and retain our talented youth here in Northeast Wisconsin. The NEW IT Alliance is working hard to establish the connections between K-12, colleges, and companies to ensure we have clear pathways to great careers. Events like NEW Connect IT remains one of the best ways we have of increasing interest in IT and the opportunities within our region.

 

New Member Welcome

Heartland Business Systems

We welcome Heartland Business Systems as a General member of the NEW IT Alliance!

Regional News

4 Reasons to Upgrade Your End-of-Life Technology

If your business or organization is using outdated software and IT equipment, you’re not alone–as of January 2019, a whopping 43 percent of businesses were still using Windows 7 despite its looming end of life. Among large enterprises, 33 percent were running the software–and that doesn’t account for programs beyond Windows or devices beyond PCs.

Clearly, the use of outdated software and equipment is widespread.

But, if it isn’t broken, why fix it? Check out this article by Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction to learn 4 reasons why you should upgrade your end-of-life technology.

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Lakeland University's MIS Degree Receives Recognition

Lakeland University's IT badgeLakeland University’s management information systems (MIS) degree has been ranked No. 16 in the nation by Study.com on its 2019 rankings for the best online information technology degrees in the country.

 Lakeland’s degree was recognized for its interdisciplinary coursework in computer science and business administration, which makes graduates an ideal candidates for a job in the IT field. Read on to see how Lakeland’s MIS degree stands out among other degrees. 

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How to Create an ADA-Compliant Website: A Checklist

ADA ComplianceThis year, Google searches for “ADA compliance” and “website ADA compliance” have skyrocketed. More and more organizations are realizing the benefits of compliance (and the penalties for not complying), and that’s driving a surge of ADA compliance. If you’re unfamiliar with what it is, why it’s important, and how to get started, then this blog post by Skyline is for you.

Ensuring you are obeying the law, gaining SEO benefits, and providing value to your users make ADA-Compliance a no-brainer. This checklist will help you start.

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Fabric React Primer on Components, Controls and Theming

React LogoReact is one of the most used and beloved JavaScript libraries for building user interfaces. There’s no shortage of UI frameworks out there to help make developing great React apps quicker and simpler. You may have heard of a couple of the really popular ones like React Bootstrap or Material UI, but there is another one that doesn’t get as much attention: Fabric React.

It’s easy to get to know Fabric React. Whether you’re starting from scratch or adding it to a project, here’s how to learn and use its controls and components.

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Rolling Out the Modern Office 365 Workplace: Use Cases & Tips

Office 365 LogoThe real power of the modern workplace is in solving business needs and changing the way people work daily. If you’re like most organizations, you can get more ROI from Office 365 when you understand when to use each app and by following their roadmap, change management, and governance. Read on for use cases and tips to help your organization take advantage of the modern workplace!

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J. J. Keller 2019 Technology Day

Tech Day at JJ KellerMore than 200 associates attended the annual J. J. Keller Technology Day event on October 22 to celebrate technology at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Several area educators in the technology space also participated. A focus on technology innovation propelled the event. Read on to learn more about this awesome event!

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Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, please join the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the International Institute of Business Analysis (NEW IIBA) as they host an evening of activities devoted to Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in the workplace.

At 4:00pm, NEW IIBA’s leader meeting will host a panel discussion, “Emotional Intelligence: An IT Leadership Perspective”. CIOs and VPs of IT from several leading Northeast Wisconsin corporations will answer questions and engage in discussions around the importance of emotional intelligence and business analysis in their organizations.

At the 5:30pm chapter meeting, Michael Rehberg, CIO of Navitus Health Solutions, will speak and administer networking activities on managing and owning EQ in your workplace and career.

Meet several area technology leaders, learn about EQ, enjoy dinner and networking with other IT professionals by joining NEW IIBA for the evening. Register for one or both meetings. Dinner is included with the chapter meeting. Membership in IIBA or NEW IIBA is not required to attend. 

All early bird registrations will be entered to win a prize. Sign up soon, early bird registration ends on Dec. 21st!

Register Now