Nevada Technology News

3 Reasons elearning Students Succeed

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:46:31 GMT

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Virtual classrooms, remote learning, elearning, and non-traditional education methods came to the forefront of media coverage roughly six months ago. From here on out distance learning, and remote workforce will continue to maintain a place in our society. Both students and teachers alike can find benefits and drawbacks to online learning. Some of the common challenges students and teachers face with remote learning include getting left behind, not receiving independent time between teacher and pupil, and fighting technology “features” along the way. This blog will discuss why these common negative perspectives are actually positive when using remote learning for technology related degrees.

1. Getting Left Behind = Time Management Skills for Life

Computer science, information technology, threat hunting, data scientists, developers, programming, and electrical engineering all require an attitude that requires time management and discipline. By completing remote learning courses online you'll gain practice for the real world. Most people waste time, and EVERYONE is guilty of it whether we realize it or admit it. Test yourself: are you wasting time or decompressing? Document your activities in a journal for a few days; if you lie remember you’re only lying to yourself. You might realize the difference between reaching your next life goal, or career platform is “Netflix and Chill”, tweeting, tic-tocking, snapping, face timing and/or gramming, or possibly even lost in another person’s fantasy world found through video games. Scheduling time for these activities instead of using them as time wasters is completely acceptable. Life that’s all work and no fun is dangerous for mental health.

2. No 1 on 1 = Real World Experience

With SaaS becoming more and more prevalent you may find yourself working via telecommute inside of a cloud service designed to help customers from anywhere. Being able to communicate without facial expressions, micro expressions, and body language can be challenging to comprehend the message. The skill of listening to the works people are saying, understanding what they mean by rephrasing what they’ve told you, and being able to speak eloquently are great skills to take with you into any job.

3. Lack of Motivation = Pushes Self Reliability

In a world before Google people had to go to library and hope that there was some literature on the topic that you’re looking for. If not, they had to know someone who knew someone to track down the answer. This shows initiative and motivation to find an answer; now we just ask the lady in the tube, type it up on our favorite search engine, or ask someone sitting next to us. Doing remote learning forces you to be able to use a computer the way people used to use a library.

Use technology to your advantage when elearning about technology.

By using remote learning, although it's a huge adjustment, you will succeed as long as you make enough time for it. We are all our own worst enemy, but overcoming these negative habits and emotions is how success is born.

5 Reasons To Choose IT

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:47:02 GMT

5 Reasons to Choose IT

Why start your career in IT?

Finding reasons to pursue a career involves some big decision possibly affecting the rest of our lives. Information Technology’s plethora of career options can be inspiring yet daunting at the same time. Jobs in Computer Sciences rely on critical thinking skills, problem solving, and improving quality of human life. If these personality traits sound like you, it is time to pursue your destiny with a career in IT.

There are many motivators that play a role when asking, “Why Information Technology?”

Listed below are 5 amazing reasons to chose a career in IT.

Why Should I Care About The Cloud?

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 22:52:37 GMT

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Do you like being able to access all of your data across several devices transparently and seamlessly? Then you already care about the cloud. Here is an easy way to know if you are using the cloud. Ask yourself this simple question, “Is it on my hardware, or someone else’s?” If you’re not using something “in-house” you’re using the cloud. Hundreds of Data Centers around the world create what we call “the cloud”. Data Centers create resources to host services, apps, storage, and just about anything else you can imagine. Reno is home to several of these data centers. Just to name a few we have Apple Data Center in Sparks, Switch and Edgecore Data off USA Parkway, and Roller Network off Longely Lane.

Now, there are some options to think about when discussing which cloud option is right for you . You have choices on where your data can live. You can offload some of your computing needs in the cloud, and keep some on site. That would be considered a hybrid cloud.

Different cloud options have different price tags, but generally the cheapest option is to use a public cloud such as Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure. You can use a community cloud if you have existing partnerships with other companies and share the cost of the cloud. Community Clouds enable data owners more control because they know who they are sharing equipment with and where it’s at. Plus, being able to securely configure the boxes. Do you want total control and full responsibility? Do you have enough budget to get in on the cloud but not an “on-site”? Using a data center to establish a private cloud could be the best option for you.

You can use their services and plugins to build your own things, like creating an application on AWS. That would be an example of Platform As A Service or PaaS. Maybe you just need your employees to be able to access the same information from several locations, for example Office 365? Then you should take advantage of Software As A Service or SaaS. Perhaps you can’t afford the hardware to create everything from scratch then you may need to consider Infrastructure As A Service or IaaS. Choosing the right cloud option for you can make your life easier.

So that brings us back to the main question, “Why should you care about cloud computing?” The top three reasons to choose the cloud are availability, scalability, and cost . Have you looked at the price of hardware components lately and how much real estate they take up? Nobody’s got time for that. Saving some cash can help you do more important things with your budget.

Do you remember having to wait around for websites when too many people were logged in? Getting “booted off” a page due to volume is annoying. The cloud solves that problem by scaling the necessary resources up to handle the demand resulting in a higher availability . The coolest part about elasticity is the ability to scale back down when the resources aren’t needed. The interactions we have on the internet seem almost seamless, and for that we can thank cloud computing.

Although the cloud helps solve many modern computing qualms it has a few issues you should be aware of. If you’re data is in someone else’s possession you have no control of what happens to it. A good way to prevent any loss here is to always encrypt your data before storing it on The Cloud, transporting it to the cloud, or accessing it within the cloud. Depending upon your contract you need to understand that you are responsible for your own data. Which can be tricky if you don’t have your data in house. Having all of your eggs in one basket is a great example of creating a single point of failure. If there is a problem with your Cloud Service Provider then inherently there will be problems with your data. For example, one of the benefits discussed earlier is ease and accessibility. This might create a problem if credentials are stolen, or shared accounts are used, and even in some cases apps end up being deployed directly to the cloud without being checked over by IT for vulnerabilities, or compliance adherence.

You should care about Cloud Computing because it is our future. Learning how it works, how to use it safely, and what it is capable of will give you a leg up on the future. Think about how small computers have gotten in the last decade, never mind two decades. I predict at some point we will only have enough available hardware to connect to Cloud Servicing. If this article created an itch you can't scratch, check out some of the classes at Nevada Technology Academy. We have several different classes where you can learn about The Cloud.

Are You Preparing for CompTIA A+, Network +, or Security +?

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 18:05:21 GMT

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Do you find yourself preparing for several certifications this summer and starting to feel overwhelmed?

Well I have a resource that will be a good study guide for you to use for your CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, and CompTIA Security+ information technology exams. If you have access to the internet you can study anywhere at anytime with Professor Messer. He has been training IT professionals for almost a decade, and I know his tools really do work because my colleagues and I found success using them. Professor Messer is here to relieve your testing stressors.

This resource isn't enough to get you through your exams alone, but with the guidance of your teachers at Nevada Technology Academy and some self-discipline you will succeed. Professor Messer posts videos and tutorials for free on YouTube in addition to resources for sale on his website. Investing in your future is essential when entering a technical field.

Have you completed one or more of these courses and haven’t certified yet? Professor Messer’s study materials are an effective way to brush up on the topics you may have forgotten. Let’s be honest, in an accelerated program it is hard to retain information when you learn so much each day.

These certifications may seem stressful and annoying right now, and yes you can get a job without them, but it won’t be as easy and you probably won’t get the salary you want. If you have taken these courses and passed then you know that you are responsible for keeping your certifications valid by paying fees, taking harder certifications, and earning Continuing Education Credits (CEU). Professor Messer hosts a virtual study group once a month on YouTube for each of the courses listed above. Participating in this study session will grant you 1 CEU valid with CompTIA in the webinar category for attending.

Resources are all around you, but you have to be willing to look for them and participate.

Do a practice test at least once a week for your own benefit. Even if you have completed this coursework it is very easy to forget the basics. If you can understand the basics you have a sturdy foundation for your future IT career. I hope this was helpful, and leave a comment below if you have a resource you would like to share. Let us know what you're doing to prepare for your CompTIA certifications this summer.

Nevada Technology Academy employs teachers with professional experience to help you succeed in your new career path by passing CompTIA certifications.

3 Ways to Make Virtual Meetings Feel Real

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 17:58:42 GMT

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The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.Humans rely on making business transactions, personal relationships, and participating in resume generating events face to face. For now, we must transition into a virtual setting for safety reasons. Companies like Cisco and Zoom make these meetings possible, but it’s still not quite the same. Here are 3 tips and tricks to make your meeting times feel real.

Being on camera is not a comfortable feeling for everyone; there is just something about that little illuminated dot that can be nerve wrecking. If you’re thinking, “The camera gains 10 lbs”, or, “Everyone is watching me” the truth is you’re not the only one thinking it. Many of Reno’s citizens became hermits during isolation, we need to remember our routines and schedules including face to face interactions.

The first trick is to treat your classes and meetings as if you were there in person. Get up, get dressed, look presentable, and log in 15 minutes early to address any potential issues ( Because we all know everything seems to have technical issues when it is presentation time). I believe,

“If you look good, you will feel good about yourself and you will do good things because you’re confident.”

Facts are facts, most web cameras use wide angle lenses. An easy trick to making yourself look better is placing your camera away from your face and above your eye level while implementing environmental ambiance with good lighting. You don’t want to go for the “up the nose” look, or be a shadow figure. If you are using a laptop, tablet, or mobile device don’t be afraid to use a few books or a shoe box to at least be eye to eye with the web cam. You also see the tops of your shoulders in the frame, if you can’t see them, scoot back. Great lighting is essential to video, and photography. Professionals spend good money on lighting equipment. You can use things around your home for lighting on camera. If you have an available lamp, place light to be behind the camera and in front of your face. If you don’t have a lamp, face the wall and point a flashlight toward the wall. It will create a soft glow across your face. Leaving you illuminated without feeling blinded. My favorite light is natural light, because I love to look out the window while I work during the day.

My third and final trick to making a virtual meeting feel real is the most important; be present . If you don’t have a requirement to use your camera you should. Even if you’re the only one on camera you will be more attentive and focused. Another good rule of thumb is providing mutual respect for others during your discussions. Be patient and ask questions when there is a time to speak. If you are hosting the call establish ground rules before beginning the session to set expectations for answering questions and conduct. Ease of communication is necessary when you’re unable to determine body language or facilitate that few minutes in the hallway to clarify a topic.

Being prepared for your web cam meeting will be preparing for success.

If you have any other tricks and tips that you use to make your virtual meeting feel more real please feel free to leave them in the comments. If you think this blog has been helpful in anyway don't be afraid to share it with your peers.

IBM Skills Academy

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 23:25:19 GMT

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The IBM Skills Academy is almost up and running! We excitedly countdown until the first ever IBM Skills Academy opens in Nevada.

NTA teachers are finishing their courses from IBM to share this ground breaking educational platform with our community.

IBM Skills Academy Certifications can be obtained in one semester complete with a certificate from IBM, a digital badge,

and a valuable education.

So, lets back up a little bit. If you don’t know about Big Blue, you may be living under a rock.

IBM is globally recognized as a key innovator, and influencer, in the technology community for over a century. They started creating computerized punch card systems in 1911 and in 2020 they stress known boundaries with products like WATSON, a stellar artificial intelligence program, and Quantum computing.

Recently IBM obtained Red Hat and using it to create the cloud services for IBM Skills Academy. IBM Skills Academy's goal is to close the skills gap present in the tech industry between the university and the field. Many students whom complete degrees do not have the experience to advance them into a new career they went to school for. IBM Skills Academy offers hands-on labs , online courses, and certifications for tech skills in demand available through IBM's cloud service to fill the gap. IBM Skills Academy students will have access to programs, virtual tools, and hands-on labs only available on IBM’s platform.

Gaining access to enterprise level tools without having to pay the enterprise level price gives students hands-on experience industry specific tools they otherwise wouldn't have access.

Maybe you don’t have two years to spend in school, but you can dedicate yourself to completing a program in 3 months?

This is the opportunity you have been looking for. No long-term commitments, great knowledge presented professionally, and a certification to advance your career. These certificates are not considered an industry standard, but they are still respected within the greater information technology community. This curriculum is short enough to feel comfortable completing the coursework, but interesting enough that you might find a hidden passion to advance further. Courses provided from IBM & NTA establish a good foundation you can build on.

Nevada Technology Academy is preparing several different certification paths available through the IBM Skills Academy including: Data Science, IoT, Cloud Services, and Artificial Intelligence.

If you, or someone you know, would be interested in these programs contact us today. You can read more about these programs at www.nvtechacademy.com.

Fall 2020 NTA offers IoT, Blockchain,Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence from IBM Skills Academy. Fall of 2021 NTA aims to add IBM Skills Academy courses in Data Science, Data Planning, Quantum Computing and Cloud Services to their curriculum.

We are proud to announce these courses are offered to our alumni to help boost their resumes because we want our graduates to have the best opportunities possible.

Nevada Technology Academy instructors have studying IBM material approximately one year now. They are excited and ready to bring home all of this valuable information to our community. Join us as NTA becomes the first ever IBM SKills Academy in Nevada.

Get Ready, Get Set...

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 23:03:00 GMT

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Have you found yourself recently displaced laid off, or furloughed from your job?

Have you realized that, maybe you don’t like what you do for a living?

Do you have 9 free hours a week?

There is no better time than now to make a change to positively affect the rest of your life. It's time to quit making excuses because now is the perfect moment to improve yourself. The only person who can make this decision is you. What's holding you back?

Why not make a change, and go back to school?

Finally spending some time outdoors in the sunshine sounds enticing. To do our part the community has "stayed home for Nevada", but it’s the middle of summer! Summertime in Reno, Nevada invites us outside with sandy beaches at Lake Tahoe, painted desert hills laden with exciting new adventures, and the comforts found at neighborhood parks. As fun as it is enjoying the activities of summer: the campfires, the swimming pools, and everlasting swatting at mosquitoes, it doesn’t last forever.

Before you realize it, grocery stores will be packed to the gills with pens, pencils, and paper products preparing students for the upcoming semester.

Maybe, that new student should be you?

This fall Nevada Technology Academy anticipates providing virtual classes and, fingers crossed, physical classes. We are embracing the “new normal” with creative solutions coming into play Fall, 2020. Night classes at NTA are easy to fit into your schedule, and the subject matter is nothing short of impressive given the short duration of our programs in comparison.

Don’t let the end of Summer sneak up on you. This is the year to get your degree started, or gain the technical skills required to advance your career. Technology is the future, and you should be a part of creating the 21st Century.

Congrats NTA Class of 2020!

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 22:42:06 GMT

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Nevada Technology Academy is pleased to announce the first graduating class in 2020. On May 8th, 2020 the first ever technology graduates from Nevada Technology Academy received their certificates. In addition to receiving a certificate of completion from Nevada Technology Academy, our students have also been recognized by the United States Congressional for their education in Cyber Security.

Congratulations Class of 2020!

Nevada Technology Academy is Incredibly Proud of Your Achievements!

Nicholas Saini

Scott Murray

Shahed Kamal

Celeste Hanford

Aaron Pedersen

James Michael

David Mahe

Sutrisno "Tris" Lie

Andrea "Andy" Hall

Mark Guerrero

Christopher Gibson

Zachary Crawshaw

Kole Armstrong

Jackson Bailey

COVID changed the way students attend classes but it hasn’t dampened their school spirit. The Spring graduating class of Nevada Technology Academy elected to walk our IoT graduates, and 2nd Cyber Security class graduating in December, 2020.

Even though our students didn't walk during a formal graduation in May, we want the community appreciate their endeavors.

In 2018 the WINN Scholarship program was awarded to Nevada Technology Academy, formerly Reno Technology Academy, to train qualified local talent for the information technology, and computer science industries thus providing opportunities for the community. The skills our students have gained during their program certainly make them a great asset to any local company. Our graduates have completed a rigorous, well-rounded information security program.

Over the course of their program our alumni learned:

Basic Computer Repair
Network Configuration & Topology
Network Security
User Access Management
Project Development
Server Administration
Virtualization and Cloud Technology
Cisco Device Management
Cyber Security Analyst Training
Security+ Certification Prep Course
Basic Linux Administration
Windows 10 Administration
Windows Active Directory
Penetration Testing/Certified Ethical Hacking
IoT Security, Management and Orchestration

These students listed above truly paved the way for future classes, and earned valuable skills to secure our community.

Congratulations Class of 2020, you’ve earned every moment of your future success!

EmPATH to Success

whitney@winc.digital (Whitney Korda) — Sun, 03 May 2020 21:34:08 GMT

Applying Empathy in IT
Rishma Khimji Director of IT, City of Reno

The Information Technology world has exploded over the last 10 years. Computers are incorporated into everything we do in society at this point, but something that has been forgotten in this progressive advance in technology; the human factor. Even though most of our interactions use a screen and as intermediary we all need to remember that there is a person with thoughts, feelings, and opinions on the other side of the screen.

Although Rishma works as the Director of IT in the City of Reno, her message to us was so much more important than talking about the daily ins and outs of her job. She elaborated on the importance of empathy. Oftentimes the definitions of sympathy and empathy are used synonymously, and that is not correct. Sympathy is feeling for someone and empathy is feeling with someone.

Using active listening skills, and truly absorbing other’s emotions to connect with them at that moment shows empathy. To be able to reach something deep inside yourself to feel what others feel will help your relationships in work and personal lives. Bridging the gap between substituted emotions using digital communication with human emotions attached to the other end of the keyboard will ease the tension created by lack of physical cues, micro gestures, and tone in text.

She also explained how we can add empathy to our digital world. Features essential to creating an empathetic model include accessibility, credibility, usability, findability, usefulness, and desirability. Combining these ingredients is a recipe for success! Empathy in technology is synonymous to “customer service”.

All businesses have customers, even the City of Reno, and they want a human experience. Creating an empathetic attitude to truly understand the customer needs in any business, but especially IT, will make the world you live in a better place. Empathy is especially important for IT because more and more jobs are becoming remote, or telecommute. Which is convenient for those of us hermit types, but ultimately losing face to face contact with peers and clients can definitely impact your success.

In conclusion, always remember the Golden Rule: treat others how you want to be treated. Even if someone treats you badly treat them with kindness and try to empathize with them. We all walk our own path, and you don’t know what someone else is going through unless you ask. Compassion and empathy need to be remembered as we incorporate the human element back into digital society.

Pioneers of Technology

Sun, 03 May 2020 21:23:06 GMT

Pioneers in Tech - Women's Addition

I remember in my 4th grade history class seeing photos of women standing in front of large machines during World War II and asking my teacher what those women did. My teacher at the time said that they were posing in front of the machines because they were easy on the eyes. I thought to myself, “With Rosie the Riveter representing the working woman there is no way that these women were merely ‘eye-candy’.” I attempted to learn more about the women only to be dismissed, and eventually I let it go. I never quit wondering why those women were standing in front of that machine. As societal norms have changed so has the perspective from which history is told. Women pioneered Computer Science alongside men. Women’s History is being uncovered by dedicated researchers, and journalists.

It all started with Ada Lovelace, formerly Lady Ada Byron, daughter of poet Lord Byron. When her father went insane her mother believed that math would cure her creative desires. Ada became one of the best mathematicians of her time as a teenager. She met Charles Babbage and his prototype for The Analytical Machine at a party. Ada was the only person at the party who shared his passion for mathematics, and his machine sent her over the top.

His Scottish housemaid was Wilhelmina Fleming, and her team included Annie Jump Cannon, and Henrietta Leavitt among 20 others. These women are responsible for creating star classification system, discovering the Horsehead Nebula, and foundations for Hubble’s Law. Pickering’s Women were some of the first “Human Computers”. A “Human Computer” is a mathematician responsible for checking, writing, and calculating complex problems. During World War I, the military looked to Human Computers for help. Alice Lee, and the Cave Sisters, Beatrice and Francis, helped create trajectories for artillery shells during World War I. Alice was more than just a mathematician, and her dedication to biology discredited the idea the women’s skulls contained less capacity than a man’s skull. Frances Cave is now recognized as “The Mother of Meteorology”. Beatrice Cave helped design airplanes but this was covered up in The Official Secrets Act. Beatrice, along with many others, were never recognized for their contributions due to secrecy and societal norms.

As Tensions increased during WWII men shipped off and women took their places at home. The Women of Bletchley Park, black women included, worked day and night to crack Enigma. The Enigma was a cryptographic machine used to encode German and Italian correspondence. Over 100 women worked at Bletchley secretly for the war effort. Some worked very closely with Alan Turing, some were debutantes, some were Opera Singers, some were actresses, and some were even spies. Many of these women were members of WRENS, including Grace Hopper. Dubbed the “Queen of Software” this Harvard Computing Lab member created the first A-0 compiler, wrote the COBAL computing language, and helped with UNIVAC. Just like the women working with the military during WWI, The Moore’s Computing lab created ballistics tables to improve speed and accuracy. Moore’s Computing lab was responsible for creating the first computers: UNIVAC, BINAC,and ENIAC. The Human Computers behind the scenes are Jean Bartik Jennings, Betty Holberton, Kathleen Antonelli, Ruth Teitlebaum, Frances Spence, and Marie Wescott Meltzer. These were the women from the photograph, and thanks to Kathy Kleiman’s research their story can be told in The Computers documentary film. They were not “eye-candy”; they were some of the first computer programmers in existence. No matter their contribution these women were essential to saving lives.

Have you ever heard of The Manhattan Project? This project consisted of several facilities during WWII focused on nuclear testing. Manhattanvoicesproject.org compiled oral histories from those involved in the Manhattan Project, many of which were women. They were spread out across many locations and worked in critical secrecy to create the world’s deadliest weapons. Leis Meitner established the first theory of nuclear fission, and actually created the term “nuclear fission.” About 70 people in total in the science and technician fields were held by women. Thanks to all of the efforts of The Manhattan Project's research on plutonium and uranium the Allies won WWII with the nuclear bomb. This technology also helped create good things like MRI machines, cancer treatments, and power generators.

When WWII ended many women, who helped create and design computing machines were being displaced by returning veterans looking for work. Women persevered by continuing to push the limit. Women, of all races, are responsible for societal advancement in technology and science especially. If you have a home alarm system you can thank Marie Van Brittan Brown. Her husband would work long hours so she created an alarm system equipped with two-way microphones, alarms, and remote locks. If you know someone who’s had cataracts removed then you can thank Patricia Beth for her work in lasic. If you use GPS to get where you want to go you can thank Dr. Gladys West. In 2018 she was inducted into Missile Pioneer’s Hall of Fame for modeling the Earth. If you use BlueTooth on your trip you can thank Ms. Hedy Lemarr. During WWII she helped develop missile guiding systems for torpedoes using spectrum hopping. This technology made the first versions of WiFi, and BlueTooth possible. In 2014 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Even the moon landing trajectories were calculated by women. In the 2016 film Hidden Figures the hidden story of four African-American mathematicians advanced the space race. It all started at Langley Research Center. During World War I Langley Research Center was established by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as the first aeronautics research center in 1917. This establishment housed the largest constructed wind tunnel which remained active until the 1940’s. The fuel that kept these projects going was generated by Human Computers. In the short video documentary, “When Computers Were Human” Vera Huckle, Hellen H. Willey, and Marie Butcher were asked about their time at Langley. Ms. Huckle was in a leadership role and organized NASA’s computer systems. She ended up staying with the company for 31 years, and advocated for other women’s advancement in mathematics. Hellen H. Willey continued to work at NASA for 33 years as well. These women were all grossly underpaid and considered “sub-employees”. Langley Research Center soon grew from about 900 to over 3,000 employees as the space race picked up speed.

During this time both black and white women worked side by side calculating the trajectories, false gravity, and wind tunnel experiments that would help us win this race. Although they liked one another’s company these women were segregated for housing and dining facilities as set forth by President Wilson’s segregation laws. Enter the initial four women I mentioned: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Christine Darden. Dorothy Vaughan was one of the first African-American supervisors at Langley and dedicated almost 30 years of her life to advancing aeronautics. Katherine Johnson, who was briefly on Vaughan’s team, and calculated the trajectory that sent Alan Shepard into space. She also helped calculate the trajectory of the Apollo 11 flight that took Americans to the moon. Katherine dedicated her life to science and technology. During her final years she worked hard to provide STEM opportunities to women. Mary Jackson was recruited to work at NACA in 1951 as a research mathematician. A colleague encouraged to further her education to participate in the wind tunnel experiments as an engineer, so she did. By 1971 she had actually earned the highest title within the engineering department at Langley.

Christine Darden was recruited by NASA, formerly NACA, to be part of the “computer pool”. She kept working to improve her education and eventually became an innovator for sonic boom technology. For many decades these women, as well as many others mentioned in this article, weren't recognized. In 2015 President Barack Obama awarded Katherine Johnson The Congressional Medal of Freedom. Our current President, Donald Trump, awarded these four women The Congressional Gold Medal of Honor in November, 2019. There are 17 Congressional Gold Medals of Honor awarded to women including Mother Teresa and Rosa Parks. NASA also renamed one of their Virginia Facilities, "Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility."

A few more women who deserve to be mentioned are Jeanne Crews, Sally Ride and Stephanie Kwolek. Jeanne Crews helped develop the protective sheeting for spacecraft for the international space station. It is a material lighter and stronger than aluminum. When Stephanie Kwolek created Kevlar while working at Dupont, they almost threw it away because it came out a milky color instead of clear. She fought for her work to be tested, and it turns out she created a fire-resistant fiber stronger than steel.

Sally Ride started working for NASA in 1978. She started working at NASA shortly after earning her PhD in Physics at Stanford University. Sally Ride was the first woman in space, and she was also the youngest person to ever travel to space. She has spent over 300 hours of her life in space. After her time at NASA Sally dedicated much of life to advocating science in upper elementary, and middle school for girls. These ladies are just a few that made it all possible. There are so many more women who deserve to be acknowledged outside of this small school newspaper article. I hope learning about some of the great things women have done for the world have inspired you to learn more. No matter their contribution, big or small, the female sex certainly contributed to creating our connected world. We can all achieve our dreams with the ability to adapt and advance in mind.

No one said it would be easy; they said it would be worth it.

Nevada Technology Academy Wins NCET Prestigious President's Award

whitney@winc.digital (Whitney Korda) — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:13:45 GMT

Reno's Growing - Nevada Technology is
Helping to Keep it Employed

Reno Technology Academy Honored as NCET’s President’s Award

Steve Andreano Director of Technology Programs (watch video here ) , to be Recognized as Top Contributor to Northern Nevada’s Technological Community at NCET Tech Awards.

RENO, Nev. (March 16, 2019) — NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, announced today Reno Technology Academy as the 2019 President’s Award . Reno Technology Academy recognition in this category symbolizes a look at Reno's growing economy and a need for tech jobs.

Within the 15-month period since we received our post secondary license, we were awarded a GOED grant to establish the first hands-on IoT and Cybersecurity labs. The labs, instructors, hardware, software, textbooks, and new classrooms were put into place inside of 90 days. Classes started with 70 scholarships awarded and another 15 prospective students put on a waiting list. All the time we maintained the original IT courses and even added a fiber optic lab.

Now in its 12th year, the NCET Technology Awards celebrate the Northern Nevada individuals and companies who have greatly enhanced the growth and prestige of technology community, while the EDAWN Awards recognize the people and resources that have played an integral part in contributing to the growth of our community.

About Company Name:

Reno Technology Academy was founded as a nonprofit Information Technology education entity to help solve industries shortfall of qualified IT professionals in Northern Nevada.

Reno Technology Academy exists to help the community resolve the information technology labor shortage in Northern Nevada. By focusing on industry certifications, the Academy will provide skilled technicians to address the growing job demands. Reno Technology Academy offers state of the art training in tech labs specializing in computer and network technology, web development, IoT, Cyber security, fiber optics, communication cabling & software engineering.

About NCET:

NCET, Northern Nevada’s largest educational and networking organization, is a member-supported nonprofit organization that produces educational and networking events to help people explore business and technology. NCET’s award-winning programs include the annual NCET Small Business Expo and NCET Tech Showcase and Awards, and the monthly Biz Bite and Special Event luncheons, and the Tech Wednesday and Biz Café events. NCET is funded by memberships, sponsorships and program revenues, and receives no state or Federal funding. NCET is not affiliated with the State of Nevada or the University of Nevada. For more information, visit www.NCET.org

Nevada Technology Academy launches new training programs

whitney@winc.digital (Whitney Korda) — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 22:46:47 GMT

NCET Talks Reno's Newest Tech Academy

Reno Technology Academy at Multnomah University has received unanimous grant approval from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) board in the amount of $1.1 million. The funds will be used to launch the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cybersecurity Specialist Certification training programs.

Both programs will be hands-on and take place at the Kietzke Lane campus in January 2019 to start preparing residents in northern Nevada for high-paying, high-tech job opportunities in these two rapidly growing fields, both vital to the economic future of the Silver State.

“These programs are just what Governor Sandoval was referring to when he talked about strategically positioning the New Nevada for opportunities in Industry 4.0, Smart Manufacturing, and other high-tech opportunities to diversify our economy,” said Grace Chou, director of advanced manufacturing for GOED.

Very little formal training exists on IoT in the United States, with the discipline requiring a broad set of skills in electrical engineering, computer programming, information security, consumer research, manufacturing, design for manufacturability, and data analytics. This program will be one of the first of its kind in the country, putting Nevada ahead of the curve in attracting IoT startups and preparing the workforce for opportunities with an average starting salary of nearly $80,000.

“Both the Cybersecurity and IoT certification will form components of GOED’s Learn and Earn Advanced-career Pathways (LEAP) framework ‘Advanced ICT’,” said Karsten Heise, technology commercialization director for GOED. “WINN support is enabling these two programs to act as accelerated on-ramps. In the spirit of LEAP, Reno Technology Academy will be working with other post-secondary institutions to implement accreditation agreements to facilitate a smooth transition through the pathways.”

The Reno Technology Academy training programs were designed with the goal of providing students with rigorous, focused training fully vetted by professionals in their industry so students can make an immediate impact on the companies they join. Reno Technology Academy enlisted the services of Nevada Industry Excellence, the Silver State’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, to make essential industry connections.

“Nevada Industry Excellence (NVIE) has been invaluable in garnering support for the grant proposals from a large number of companies,” said Steve Andreano, director of technology programs for Reno Technology Academy at Multnomah University. “They have validated the industry’s need for this training and will be heavily involved in matching successful student with industry jobs.”

Director of NVIE, Mark Anderson, states that in northern Nevada alone, there will be 79 IoT job openings over the next two years at Breadware, Groupgets, NevadaNano, Filament, Elemental LED and SimpleSense as well as 27 cybersecurity openings at Blackridge Technology, Renown Health and NV Energy.

“With the growth of IoT, smart manufacturing, the imminent deployment of 5G, digitization of industries, and increasing threats of cyber-attacks, it is critical for organizations to have the infrastructure, solutions, and human resources that protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and computing assets,” said Brian Wilcox, chief information security officer of BlackRidge Technology, a cybersecurity software company located in Reno. “Infrastructure and solutions are available, but the industry is woefully short when it comes to the human resources aspect. BlackRidge applauds the state for approving these grants. We can’t have Industrial IoT and the connected economy it creates without strong cyber defenses.”

With these grants, Reno Technology Academy is working to provide scholarships for the first 40 IoT and 25 Cybersecurity students in the program. People that are interested in learning more about enrolling in these programs, slated to start in January 2019, can email Reno Technology Academy at Multnomah University at information@renotechnology.academy or call 775-849-4983.

Why You Can’t Get the Job You Want

whitney@winc.digital (Whitney Korda) — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 22:36:42 GMT

Why You Can’t Get the Job You Want

The unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% in April, and many companies say they can’t find enough workers.

But if there’s a national labor shortage, many workers sure aren’t feeling it. The portion of adult Americans who have a job or want one is historically low—which shouldn’t be the case if the demand for labor is so strong. Wages are barely growing, another sign of hidden weakness in the labor market. Median household income, adjusted for inflation, is just 1.8% higher than it was in 2000, according to Sentier Research. Economists think one reason employers have 6 million unfilled jobs is a growing “skills mismatch” that has left many workers unprepared for rapid technological change.

Read More at Yahoo...

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