Almost one month after its release, a survey of women’s experiences working in tech in Omaha is about one-third of the way to its goal of 600 responses.
Project 18 released the survey in the middle of May. As of June 11, it has logged around 200 responses, according to organizer Rebecca Stavick.
“I’m enthusiastic about our results so far, but we’ll need quite a few more surveys if we want this data to represent the tech industry in Omaha,” said Stavick.
The confidential survey asks a range of questions about workplace culture, advancement opportunities, benefits, and work-life balance. It is designed to be completed in about 10 minutes, and participation isn’t limited to women.
“It’s important to note this survey is for people of all genders working in tech or tech-adjacent roles,” said Stavick.
There’s a wide array of national information on gender disparities in the tech industry, but much less information locally.
The Project 18 survey seeks to fill that gap.
“We’ve established 600 completed surveys as our goal because we’ve estimated that about 600 is a representative sample of all tech workers in Omaha, which according to the [Omaha Chamber of Commerce], total over 15,000,” said Stavick.
Stavick has said the goal of the survey is to see what kind of policies Omaha employers have in place and to hear how women feel about working conditions.
From there, Project 18 plans to focus on specific ways to make Omaha a better place to retain and recruit women in tech.
According to the Omaha Chamber, the economic impact of tech jobs is significant. Tech jobs represent the largest economic development opportunity in the region, and the addition of 4,000 tech workers in the next few years could have a $1 billion impact on the local economy.
Stavick is asking people in Omaha to share the survey as widely as possible.
“Don’t just tweet it out — ask specific people you know to take and share the survey,” said Stavick. “Who are the ‘influencers’ that you know that can distribute this to their broader network? What companies need to know about the survey?”
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To take or share the Project 18 survey, click here.
For more information about Project 18, click here.
(Photo: Training from the Back of the Room session at Blueshift Innovation, Kansas City, 2018. Photo provided by Matt Kirilov/PMI Heartland Chapter.)
OMAHA — Organizational leaders, trainers and instructors have a new opportunity this month to advance their training skills.
“Training from the Back of the Room” is a two-day course that promises to explore the latest findings about how the brain takes in, stores, retrieves and uses knowledge.
Participant will “discover six powerful learning principles based on the best of brain science, then apply these principles every time you train, teach, or coach others,” according to the course description.
Training from the Back of the Room takes place June 19 and 20 at Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha campus from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“These Accelerated Learning principles go hand-in-hand with team-based Agile and Scrum processes and principles,” says course instructor Jenny Tarwater. “If you are an Agile coach or Scrum trainer, you will be especially pleased to discover how to combine Agile/Scrum concepts with collaborative learner-engagement.”
For more information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/training-from-the-back-of-the-room-tbr-omaha-tickets-41630374571?aff=Bowperson
Tony Veland is an Omaha native whose sports highlights include back-to-back 1994-1995 national championships with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In addition to being on the championship team, Veland also was co-captain of the 1995 team, helping to lead the Huskers to victory. After college, he went on to become a 1997 Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos.
Veland was fortunate to be coached by Tom Osborne, who he calls the epitome of a leader.
“Osborne cared more about the man than he did the player, and it showed in his everyday actions,” said Veland.
Osborne had a huge influence on Veland’s life, as he always stressed character and integrity, and leading with a servant’s heart.
Sports have always been a passion of his because of the competition, but Veland has appreciated it more over the years because of the lessons learned, and the platform it provided: an attentive ear, which helps him speak into the lives of others.
“I have always been one to help others if I was able. Even as a kid, it just made sense to help those in need,” said Veland. “That feeling never faded. Once my football career was over, I made it a point to give back in some way.”
Even when it comes to his employment, Veland realized he wouldn’t be satisfied with what he was doing unless he was serving an important need for others. As an advisor for a number of years, he helped individuals become better stewards of their finances. As a coach, he helped kids become better athletes.
But more importantly, he says, he taught life lessons and instilled traits and habits that would lead to success in the future. Now, as Director of Business Development at Omaha not-for-profit AIM Institute, he helps provide resources to affect change in the community where it is needed most.
Veland with Tom Osborne.Due to the number of ways AIM helps in the community, working at the nonprofit gives Veland the chance to lead a team that is focused on changing lives.
“I’m proud to be part of an organization where everything we do has a direct impact on where we live,” said Veland. “AIM is known for Careerlink. It’s a great online hub that is used to connect job seekers to employers, as well as to provide advertising for the amazing companies in our region.”
“What isn’t widely known is the fact that AIM provides career development and education programs designed to engage and empower those in tech,” said Veland. “This helps fortify the talent we have in Omaha, which, in turn, makes our employers and economy stronger.”
Lastly, AIM Institute helps to provide free tech education programs to kids age seven to 17. STEM, coding, web design, robotics and more are taught at the AIM Brain Exchange to youth who are under-resourced and under-served.
“Every action of my team supports this, and it makes working here very fulfilling. We are getting youth on a path that will change the trajectory of their lives,” Veland said.
“We are excited to have Tony Veland as Director of Business Development at AIM Institute,” said AIM President and CEO Dr. Kandace Miller. “Tony’s passion and dedication for helping others are an asset to our growing not-for-profit and our mission to grow, connect and inspire the tech talent pipeline across the Silicon Prairie.”
Veland says it is great being in a field that is ever-changing and always interesting.
“I have always enjoyed being on good teams, and I’ve always had high expectations for what we would accomplish. That remains the same here,” said Veland.
Catch up on regional tech news with these recent top stories from Silicon Prairie News. Click the headlines to read more.
Earlier this year, SPN highlighted a community partnership underway in Lincoln to encourage and support young entrepreneurs. The Future Builders Challenge helps students identify and act on entrepreneurial talents based on research by the Gallup Organization. With the program’s boot camp and pitch competition complete, SPN reached out to organizers and mentors for an update.
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Two Omaha-based small businesses have been named winners of the 2018 American Small Business Championship by SCORE.
The founders of 621 Gifts and fundraising tech-startup TAGG (Together A Greater Good) were among 102 entrepreneurs from across the country who were recognized for their dedication and success.
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Omaha’s Texty Tours, a tech startup specializing in text-based content delivery, announced this week that they will be partnering with NOISE to provide the digital platform and tech support for their new community-led news network.
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Jake Wilkins came up with the idea for Lincoln startup Pik-Up during a trip back home to Ainsworth in north-central Nebraska.
“I got a call from my dad, and he needed me to pick up some planter parts he bought in an online auction and transport them from North Bend to Ainsworth,” said Wilkins, Pik-Up Founder. “I’ve made this trip 50 times in my life, and this was my first time hauling anything.”
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OMAHA — A year ago, if you would have asked a group of 6th graders at Liberty Elementary School if they ever thought they could build a computer, they might have given you some strange looks.
Today, they would give you instructions.
“You screw everything in, wire it in, put the buttons in,” 12-year-old Da’Shawn explains.
“When you start, you have to get the manual, and when you start to put it together, you can see how cool and how amazing it is to just take the different pieces and put them together,” says Octavio, also a 12-year-old Liberty student.
Da’Shawn, Octavio and their classmates have been learning about putting computers together at the AIM Brain Exchange with Piper Computer Kits. The kits come with blueprints and buttons, switches and circuitry, and it’s up the kids to bring it all together.
The kits are just one of several activities at the Brain Exchange that are geared toward getting kids excited about tech.
“Every time we come, they are just so excited to see what new things that they have planned for us,” says Liberty 6th grade teacher Jenni Ortman. “If we ever have to miss, they are super devastated that they can’t go to Brain Exchange for whatever reason.”
Sylvia, 11, likes working with Dash and Dot robots, which are programmable robots kids control through Android and iOS apps. She has also been learning how to work with video in iMovie.
She says she’s excited about each new activity she takes part in.
“I really like all of them. They involve a lot of teamwork, a lot of construction and steps, and the staff are really helpful,” says Sylvia.
Sylvia says she looks forward to learning more about technology and says when she gets older, she would like to study robotics.
“It’s really fun and exciting,” says Sylvia. “If someone would have told me I’d be doing this, I would be like, I would never be able to do this.”
(Photo: Sylvia, Da’Shawn, Juan.)
Octavio also says he wants to pursue a career in technology, possibly as a game designer. In the meantime, he likes the hands-on activities he gets to try.
“I love to build and use technology. Like remote control cars, you can change how fast they are going,” says Octavio.
Ortman says it’s been remarkable to see the boost in students’ confidence.
“Sometimes the students are intimidated by trying new things, especially involving technology,” says Ortman. ‘This has really increased their confidence, it’s increased their problem-solving skills. They work really well as a team when they are here.”
Da’Shawn agrees that some of the activities, like the computer-building kits, seemed tough at the beginning.
“It was hard at first because I didn’t understand it, but as we got into it and we built the outside structure, it got easier, because I started understanding more,” says Da’Shawn.
(Photo: Octavio)
As the school year winds down, the students wrote thank-you notes to the Brain Exchange staff.
“Having a chance like this is a miracle, going to Brain Exchange is amazing,” wrote 12-year-old Juan. “I appreciate what Brain Exchange has done for me. I’ve been enjoying more technology, and it gave me more confidence with different kinds of technology.”
Ortman says she has seen the students grow from their experiences at the Brain Exchange.
“I think this an exciting opportunity. I know Liberty feels very blessed to have this partnership with AIM, and I think the knowledge we’re received here has been invaluable, both the teachers and the students,” says Ortman. “I think the kids are successful because they know everyone is here to teach them and to help them. They have really flourished.”
