Itech's Computer Technology Systems and Cyber Security Advisory Committee

It was a pleasure and great opportunity to participate in Itech's Computer Technology Systems and Applied Cyber Security Advisory Committee.  As a student on the advisory committee, I was able to see and hear first-hand what the IT Industry is looking for in their future employees, colleagues and business partners.  Also, I witness from the advisory board a commitment towards developing IT industry certified and trained technical professionals with the ability to enter and fill the available IT positions with competence and confidence. 

 Some of the items discussed were the following:

           

·         Tracking student’s successes, in regard to certification and job placement.

·         Chamber of Commerce participation or partnership for marketing and networking.

·         Panel of business owners events to discuss the IT industry future workforce 
needs and expectations.  

·         Various paths of success and how to achieve them.

·         Internships, on the job training, job support groups, shadowing opportunities and volunteerism.

·         Various websites that are available to vet workers and competency, such as:  Elance and ODesk.

·         Microsoft Application Development website offering free courses.

·         Advisory board accessing ITech’s curriculum and textbooks.

·         What type of lab activities must we be familiar with to develop real world skills, such as VLAN’s, network security, default gateways, routers and switches, the explaining the OSI model?

·         The ability to communicate technological concepts for the industry and explain them to clients in laymen terms.

Personal Lesson Learned:  It is an expectation for us to have the ability to communicate the different concepts we are learning, this is extremely important.  It is not good enough to know the concepts but to explain them to various audiences.