BILT (Business and Industry Leadership Team)
31 Flavors of Business Meetings
Engagement with business and industry leaders is an essential element for any community college’s IT workforce program. Anyone familiar the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) knows this – we call these groups business and industry leadership teams, or “BILTs” – is one of our cornerstone beliefs. We preach about the value of a BILT whenever…
Read MoreWearing Tech on Your Sleeve
At a recent meeting of the National Convergence Technology Center’s (CTC) national Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT), the subject of wearable technology came up. The consensus among this esteemed group is that the sky is the limit for that side of the IT industry, which means plenty of opportunities for IT students. More and…
Read MoreViews on Successful Hiring
At the recent ATE PI conference in Washington, DC the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) participated in a panel discussion on the hiring process of students who were successfully hired in their industry. The discussion focused on student mentoring, resume and interview preparation, and the hiring process. Dr. Ann Beheler facilitated a discussion with Collin…
Read MoreStudent Portfolios Matter
A long-repeated request of our national Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) has been to get community college students to develop a strong portfolio for job interviews. We’re told that job interviews in the IT industry are not just about resumes and Q&A. Hiring managers want to see vivid examples of the interviewee’s work, understand…
Read MoreHumble Attitude, Tenacity & Excitement for Information Technology Accelerate Student’s Career
Six months ago, a rainbow-haired Chelsea Hall-Fitzgerald had just completed a computer networking certificate at Collin College. She also worked part time in a big box appliance store. Today, her hourly wage as a full-time project coordinator for AMX by Harman is three times what she made as a clerk, and she is on track to complete her…
Read MoreThe SDN Revolution
The National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) meets quarterly with a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) to help steer program curriculum. The meetings often involve a passionate discussion of current trends. The group isn’t always in agreement on what’s relevant to our community college students. But time and again, the BILT has proven its collective…
Read MoreThe Importance of Soft Skills
The National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) often hears esteemed members of its Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) express concern about a lack of “soft skills” among new hires. Employees with fresh community college degrees and certificates almost always have considerable technical competency and know-how. But they sometimes lack abilities that don’t easily fit into…
Read MoreTech Trends from the Fall 2014 BILT Call
Security One of the biggest concerns we heard from many members of the BILT was about security. The booming trend of BYOD and the expansion of the Internet of Things increases the risk to business networks. How can we bring the topic of security into every IT course we teach? Security practices cross the spectrum of…
Read MoreGetting industry involved
An engaged business and industry executive group forms one of the cornerstones of the National Convergence Technology Center’s (CTC) strategy for strengthening IT/convergence programs across the country and addressing that industry’s workforce gap. Relying on a “BILT” (Business and Industry Leadership Team) to help steer curriculum makes sure students graduate with in-demand skills. The National…
Read MoreThe power of the portfolio
More and more, the members of the National Convergence Technology Center’s (CTC) National Business and Industry Leadership Team (“BILT”) are stressing the value of IT/convergence student portfolios. At a recent quarterly BILT meeting, this topic came up again. BILT members seem unanimous in their belief that student portfolios are an essential element of a…
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