Podcasts about creating it futures

Live from CompTIA's CCF Conference in Chicago, IL: A conversation with Amy Kardel, senior vice president of strategic workforce relations. Apprenticeships are often forgotten and today they may be one of IT's best recruitment tools that create a truly win-win scenario. Amy has more than two decades of experience as a founder, investor, and advisor to technology organizations. An attorney by training, Amy served on CompTIA's board of directors for more than six years, including three as its chairperson. Today, she works to expand the reach of Creating IT Futures and CompTIA which are a set of initiatives designed to propel the industry forward by creating more IT workforce solutions across America.

Reflecting on how far you've come during a journey is vital for envisioning your next milestone—and how much distance remains between you and that goal. Join Colleen Crino, chief development officer at Creating IT Futures, and senior development manager Cristina De Guia, as they reflect on the most challenging times in the organization's history that also generated an extraordinary impact on its mission. 

As 2022 begins, Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures, joins Randi Parker, senior director for partner engagement, for a conversation about ways the challenging journey of the last couple of years has shaped the organization's vision and direction for the future.

To set the stage for 2022, Colleen Crino, Chief Development Officer for Creating IT Futures, shares stories about the organization's many partners, who they are and what they do in collaboration with CompTIA's charitable foundation.

To set the stage for 2022, Colleen Crino, Chief Development Officer for Creating IT Futures, shares stories about the organization's many partners, who they are and what they do in collaboration with CompTIA's charitable foundation.

As 2021 rolls to a close, Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures, joins the organization's Chief Development Officer, Colleen Crino, for a conversation about how feeling gratitude has shaped – and continues to guide – the team's mission into 2022.

In this Technologist Tales miniseries, we hear insights from Amy Cliett, director of TechGirlz. Learn how Amy launched her tech career, how she shepherded TechGirlz through its pandemic pivot, and how Creating IT Futures, CompTIA's charitable foundation, serves women interested in tech at any stage of their careers.

Ever heard the expression “Teaching is the highest form of learning?” Listen as technologist Amy Cliett, director of TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures, makes the case from her USAToday/MediaPlanet column that volunteering may be the highest form of learning for women in tech. She also argues that volunteers practice higher forms of networking and resumé-building, too.

What do a small business owner, an operations manager and a special education teacher have in common? In this miniseries, we hear from Gloria Bell, Amy Cliett, and Alicia Park, three key voices from Creating IT Futures' TechGirlz team, sharing their journeys to discovering a passion for educating, inspiring and connecting the next generation of women in tech. 

What do a small business owner, an operations manager and a special education teacher have in common? In this miniseries, we hear from Gloria Bell, Amy Cliett, and Alicia Park, three key voices from Creating IT Futures' TechGirlz team, sharing their journeys to discovering a passion for educating, inspiring and connecting the next generation of women in tech.

Is it possible to develop a more diverse, equitable and inclusive tech workforce, while shrinking our nation's tech skills gap at the same time? This mini-series profiles Gloria Bell, Randi Parker, Amy Cliett, and Alicia Park, women in tech who are making it happen through their leadership of Creating IT Futures programs like the Women In Tech Summit and TechGirlz.  Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

CompTIA's new partnership with Girls Embracing Mothers (GEM) helps women leaving incarceration build futures for themselves and their children through customized technical training and enhanced education, such as life skills coaching. Listen as GEM founder Brittany Barnett and Randi Parker of Creating IT Futures discuss how this program develops a more diverse, equitable and inclusive tech workforce.

Must the road to a successful technology career begin in a high school STEM program? Or include four years studying computer science in college? No on both counts. Listen as Jason Hernandez, chair of the CompTIA Tech National Alumni Advisory Council, shares how an IT training program operated by Creating IT Futures broadened his job prospects and improved his personal finances.  Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange  

Must the road to a successful technology career begin in a high school STEM program? Or include four years studying computer science in college? No on both counts. Listen as Jason Hernandez, chair of the CompTIA Tech National Alumni Advisory Council, shares how an IT training program operated by Creating IT Futures broadened his job prospects and improved his personal finances.  Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange  

The sight of a computer filling an entire room sparked Gloria Bell's passion for technology at the age of six. Over the years, she translated that fascination into co-founding the Women in Tech Summit (WITS) and earning a leadership position with TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures.

The sight of a computer filling an entire room sparked Gloria Bell's passion for technology at the age of six. Over the years, she translated that fascination into co-founding the Women in Tech Summit (WITS) and earning a leadership position with TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

Can one workforce development solution fill the tech skills gap in our nation's economy? Can the same solution narrow the gender gap in today's tech workforce? And could that solution shrink the diversity gap in the technology industry at the same time? Join Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures, and Amy Kardel, leader of the CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech program, for a conversation that answers those questions.

Headlines in business publications tell us that the job market for technology workers is the most geographically diverse in the history of the U.S. economy. But does diversity in locations foster greater diversity in the tech workforce? Listen as Nancy Hammervik, CEO of the CompTIA Tech Career Academy and Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures, explain how their organizations are developing positive answers to that question.

What is “Social Innovation?” And how is TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures, practicing this philanthropic discipline to inspire middle-school girls to explore careers working with technology? This mini-series won “Gold” and “Silver” awards from the 27th Annual Communicator Awards for excellence and distinction in podcasting that promotes causes, awareness, diversity and inclusion. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

What is “Social Innovation?” And what role do “chickens” play in practicing this philanthropic discipline at Creating IT Futures? This mini-series won “Gold” distinction from the Hermes Creative Awards for “outstanding work” while promoting a philanthropic cause. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

For four non-profits devoted to inspiring young women to pursue careers in technology and lead healthy, balanced lifestyles, COVID-19 was an existential crisis. Hear how these organizations not only survived their “pandemic pivots,” but are in some ways thriving because of them. That’s in this 3-chapter mini-series from a 2021 South by Southwest EDU (SXSW EDU) session moderated by TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

CompTIA’s Cyberstates 2021™ research shows progress toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the U.S. tech workforce. But not much – especially at this critical time, as workers and employers of all kinds work to recover from the pandemic’s economic damage. Listen as Nancy Hammervik, CEO of CompTIA Tech Career Academy and Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures discuss how their organizations are working to help.

How often does a technologist’s journey wind through the lecture halls of law school and the corridors of Capitol Hill? Listen to this tale celebrating Women’s History Month, as Randi Parker, senior director at Creating IT Futures, shares how her career evolved from advocating for the technology industry to making tech careers more accessible.  Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

How often does a technologist’s journey wind through the lecture halls of law school and the corridors of Capitol Hill? Listen to this tale celebrating Women’s History Month, as Randi Parker, senior director at Creating IT Futures, shares how her career evolved from advocating for the technology industry to making tech careers more accessible.  Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange 

True technologists think strategy first. That makes them planners. And good planning requires perspective on your past, present and future. Listen as Randi Parker, Senior Director, Partner Engagement for Creating IT Futures leads a conversation with CompTIA strategists Debra McCraw, Director, Content Strategy, and Kelly Stone, Senior Director, Digital Strategy, about the privilege and process of putting the “Core Beliefs” of their organization into words.

What is “Social Innovation?” And what role do “chickens” play in practicing this philanthropic discipline at Creating IT Futures? This series of three podcasts answers those questions about social innovation in action. Listen as our team members share stories about partner organizations – TEKsystems, Verizon Foundation and Workday Foundation – that make a measurable difference in tech businesses and local communities across the country. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

Two brothers who are bringing cell phones to hundreds of thousands of low-income families through the Lifeline program. Their names are Matthew Johnson and Nathan Johnson and their mission in life is to help bridge the digital divide.CompTIA Tech Career Academy (CTCA) through Creating IT Futures (charity arm of CompTIA – the trade association). CTCA’s mission is to train unemployed or under employed for jobs in IT and offer online classes.. CEO – Nancy Hammervik. She can talk about the benefits of the programs they offer and how a career in IT can be a game changer for people especially with the high unemployment rate.

How are relationships between Creating IT Futures and philanthropic partners holistic and integrated? This chapter offers two prime examples: Verizon Foundation and Workday Foundation. Listen as Jeff Lareau, manager, strategic partnerships, and Alicia Park, national outreach manager for TechGirlz, share two stories of individuals and organizations that make a measurable difference in tech businesses and local communities across the country. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

How are relationships between Creating IT Futures and our philanthropic partners holistic and integrated? This chapter offers two prime examples: Verizon Foundation and Workday Foundation. Listen as Jeff Lareau, manager, strategic partnerships, and Alicia Park, national outreach manager for TechGirlz, share two stories of individuals and organizations that make a measurable difference in tech businesses and local communities across the country.

What is “Social Innovation?” And how is TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures, practicing this philanthropic discipline to inspire middle-school girls to explore careers working with technology? Listen to this series of three podcasts that describes social innovation in action in the words of the innovators who converted TechShopz workshops to virtual delivery at high speed, then launched a new distance-learning option, TechPodz. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

How are the people that work with Creating IT Futures like chickens? For answers to that amusing riddle, listen as Jeff Lareau, manager, strategic partnerships, and Alicia Park, national outreach manager for TechGirlz, describe how they develop and deepen relationships with the individuals and organizations that volunteer, donate, fund and sponsor programs such as IT-Ready, TechShopz and TechPodz.

In appreciation for the donors, sponsors and volunteers who have made the Creating IT Futures mission possible this year – and every year – we share a conversation between Colleen Crino, our chief development officer, and Franklin Reed, director of inclusion and diversity at long-time partner TEKsystems, an organization that has supported for years our youth and adult programs along multiple dimensions across the country.

In time for Giving Tuesday, we share another inspiring story from TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures [a 501(c)3 nonprofit of CompTIA] whose mission is empowering girls to be future technology leaders. Listen as Alicia Park, National Outreach Manager, talks about the launch of TechPodz, a new distance-learning technique that’s creating connection and community for middle school girls, their parents and their technologist mentors during these trying times.

Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, by the end of this decade employment in tech occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations. But how can our nation’s workforce rise to meet this demand when a tech skills gap already leaves about half a million positions working with technology unfilled at any given time? And, as our economy works to recover from pandemic conditions? Listen as Randi Parker, senior director at Creating IT Futures, shares advice for concerned technologists.

In this episode of our series complementing the WITS 2020 Virtual Summit, Alicia Park, National Outreach Manager for TechGirlz, a program of Creating IT Futures, explains why volunteering to lead virtual TechShopz during the COVID-19 pandemic is vital to inspiring the next generation of women working in tech.

Is it possible to Pandemic-Proof your career? If so, developing IT skills may just be the way to do it – despite your current job experience.  Join CompTIA vice president Amy Kardel and Charles Eaton, CEO of CompTIA Tech Career Academy and Creating IT Futures, for a conversation about how continuous learning, certifications and working for Managed Services Providers (MSPs) can help you transition or improve your career during trying times.

For more than a decade TechGirlz, a nonprofit program of Creating IT Futures, has been inspiring middle-school girls to explore the possibilities of technology to empower their future careers through TechShopz – free, fun, interactive workshops bringing young women face to face with tech mentors. Then, COVID-19 struck, making in-person events impossible indefinitely. Listen as Amy Cliett explains how this unexpected operational challenge evolved into an unanticipated deepening of TechGirlz’ value.

Charles is CEO of a national workforce nonprofit that is changing the game for tech education and helping people get tech jobs. He shares his experience growing up as a diplomat's kid in Hong Kong, his passion for fanatical learning, and his views on education, marriage, and parenting.8:31- Hong Kong15:00- #fakerich16:25- Acclimating29:28- Marriage & Family40:00- Running a charitable organization47:02- Fanatical Learning52:20- The confidence gap1:00:00- Hiring & interviewing

Who is a technologist? And why are technologists the best candidates for hundreds of thousands of jobs in today’s digital economy – especially in the post-pandemic future? This Technologist Talk mini-series features seven tales that answer those questions. Listen as award-winning author and CEO of Creating IT Futures, Charles Eaton, joins with CompTIA CEO Todd Thibodeaux to describe the traits of technologists, the best workers to narrow our nation’s tech skills gap. Original Technologist Tales theme music by C. Ezra Lange

As economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country in March, the U.S. information technology sector still added thousands of jobs. Why? Because technology is playing a vital role now – and will continue to be crucial – as our nation copes with the current economic crisis. Listen as Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures and CompTIA Tech Career Academy, interprets these hopeful signs during these trying times.

This Pitchcast explains why the Technologist Talk creative team sent one of its producers “into to field” for a series of episodes covering events for aspiring technologists – from teens in middle and high school to adults in career transitions. By capturing the sounds and comments from these events, this batch of five podcasts helped Creating IT Futures encourage the next generation of technology talent to envision themselves working in tech jobs. Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

This Pitchcast explains why the Technologist Talk creative team developed the podcast profile series Technologist Tales. Through conversations with successful people from students to chief executives, this batch of seven Technologist Tales helped Creating IT Futures encourage the next generation of technology talent – from teens in middle and high school to adults in career transitions – to envision themselves working in tech jobs. Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

This Technologist Talk mini-series features five episodes captured at an IT-Ready Technical Support Employer’s Breakfast in Minneapolis. Fostering this sort of dialog and collaboration around diversity and inclusion in the tech workforce is one reason the Creating IT Futures team in the Twin Cities won a 2019 Tekne Award from the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA). Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

TechGirlz founder Tracey Welson-Rossman sits in for Charles Eaton to recount the organization’s successes since being acquired by Creating IT Futures earlier this year. She also previews the new trails TechShopz will blaze in 2020. 

How early should we teach kids about cybersafe practices? High school? Middle school? Kindergarten? How about three years old? Randi Parker, senior director at Creating IT Futures explains why kids should pick up cybersafe habits as soon as they pick up gadgets – and how partners and programs such as the Technology Student Association (TSA) and TechGirlz pick up this cause as young people progress through schooling.   Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

Amy Cliett of TechGirlz sees this all the time: Middle school girls say they don’t like technology because they think it’s all about coding. That’s why TechGirlz works so hard to show young women the whole picture of the business of technology. “Every company is a tech company and we show girls that there are so many ways to get into a career in technology,” Cliett said. In this episode of the Women TechCast, CompTIA Community Leader Kathleen Martin talks to Cliett and TechGirlz co-founder Tracey Welson Rossman about TechGirlz and how the nonprofit spreads the message that, according to Welson Rossman, “Girls like technology, they are capable of being in technology and that technology is not about coding.” TechGirlz is a nonprofit program run and managed by Creating IT Futures designed to get girls excited about the possibilities of technologies as it relates to their future possible career choices. Middle school girls take part in short interactive workshops related to things like coding, robotics, video game design, photo and video editing. They also introduce girls to role models working in the technology ecosystem. “A lot of these girls just haven’t seen it yet, and it’s the simple matter of someone saying ‘This is what I do for a living, I don’t work for a traditional tech company and I love it,’” Cliett said. Hear how their 10-year anniversary plans including big moves into new areas and how you can volunteer with TechGirlz as a technical or nontechnical person. Learn more about TechGirlz at https://www.techgirlz.org/ See all the on-roads to technology from Creating IT Futures at https://www.creatingitfutures.org/ Find a Women in Tech Summit (WITS) near you at https://womenintechsummit.net/

To lay the best foundation for a career working with technology, should your teen enter a technical training program after high school? Or go straight to 4 years of college? Shouldn’t be an either/or proposition, says Eric Larson of Creating IT Futures, who works with NextUp partners such as TechGirlz and the Technology Student Association (TSA). In this episode, he shares three more signs of a quality school tech program with host Bob Dirkes.   Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

Millions of teens head back to school this month. And if you’re the parent or mentor of an aspiring technologist, how can you tell whether your school has a good tech program? Eric Larson, who directs the NextUp program for Creating IT Futures, says there are “6 Signs.” In this episode, Eric shares the first three with host Bob Dirkes. Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

Research shows that girls can lose interest in pursuing tech careers sometime between age 9 and the 9th grade. How can U.S. businesses prevent this potential loss of tech talent before these young women reach high school? Tracey Welson-Rossman, CMO of IT consulting firm Chariot Solutions, shares the mission of TechGirlz (www.techgirlz.org) the non-profit organization she founded and Creating IT Futures recently acquired. 

From 180PODCAST- This special episode was recorded live at the NAWDP 2018 Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Is the popular online video game Fortnite training your teen to become a technologist? Maybe, says CEO, author and social innovator, Charles Eaton, but not likely without some encouragement from you. (Read more about the “5 Traits of Technologists on the award-winning Inspiring Success blog from Creating IT Futures at https://www.creatingitfutures.org/resources/blog/creating-it-futures/2016/11/14/who-is-a-technologist-)

From Technologist Talk Podcast:  Is the popular online video game Fortnite training your teen to become a technologist? Maybe, says CEO, author and social innovator, Charles Eaton, but not likely without some encouragement from you. (Read more about the “5 Traits of Technologists on the award-winning Inspiring Success blog from Creating IT Futures at https://www.creatingitfutures.org/resources/blog/creating-it-futures/2016/11/14/who-is-a-technologist-)

Carolyn and Seth talk with Charles Eaton, Executive VP of Social Innovation for CompTIA and CEO of the Creating IT Futures Foundation. Charles talks about CompTIA's philanthropic efforts, including a partnership with the Tech Students Association, work with employers around non-traditional career paths, and the IT Ready program from Creating IT Futures that provides an on-ramp for adults seeking a new career in technology. Creating IT Futures: https://www.creatingitfutures.org/ Technology Student Association: http://tsaweb.org/ Charles's book, How to Launch Your Teen's Career in Technology: https://www.amazon.com/Launch-Your-Teens-Career-Technology/dp/1643168894/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535374165&sr=8-10

Carolyn and Seth talk with Charles Eaton, Executive VP of Social Innovation for CompTIA and CEO of the Creating IT Futures Foundation. Charles talks about CompTIA's philanthropic efforts, including a partnership with the Tech Students Association, work with employers around non-traditional career paths, and the IT Ready program from Creating IT Futures that provides an on-ramp for adults seeking a new career in technology. Creating IT Futures: https://www.creatingitfutures.org/ Technology Student Association: http://tsaweb.org/ Charles's book, How to Launch Your Teen's Career in Technology: https://www.amazon.com/Launch-Your-Teens-Career-Technology/dp/1643168894/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535374165&sr=8-10

This special episode was recorded live at the NAWDP 2018 Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Host Bob Dirkes speaks with author and CEO of Creating IT Futures Charles Eaton about Creating IT Futures ongoing philanthropic programs, their priorities for programs, and how they measure the impact of their giving.