FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Brian Ayers
bayers@nulllukaspartners.com
402-895-2552 ext. 308
OMAHA, Neb. (July 21, 2020) – AIM Institute, an innovative nonprofit that grows, connects and inspires Omaha’s tech community, has adapted its programming to keep career pursuits in technology on course while the pandemic accelerates an already rapidly changing employment landscape. As companies move toward automation and digital technology to cut costs and increase efficiency, communities face a drastic shortage of tech workers. Recently, community leaders involved with the Nebraska Tech Collaborative identified the need to add 10,000 tech workers in Nebraska by 2025.
Tony Veland, Director of Community Engagement for AIM, said organizational investment in worker training programs and individuals investing in themselves is more critical now than ever. Careers in technology provide opportunities for workers to acquire skills to transition from shrinking industries into higher-paying growth careers. AIM, which had previously provided its nonprofit programming and services for youth and professional development in person, responded to the pandemic by quickly pivoting to deliver courses and training for youth, career-changers and established tech professionals in a virtual setting.
“We needed to respond quickly because the pandemic has brought such attention to the importance of technology. We needed to still be able to deliver this important curriculum,” Veland said. “We went virtual with all of our offerings. We actually increased our curriculum and the ability to access it, which fills a need for those who lost jobs due to the pandemic and those who could benefit from developing valuable new skills.”
In February 2020, the unemployment rate in Omaha was 2.9%, which skyrocketed to 10.2% by the end of April before closing out May at 6.5%. Uncertainty is the norm for most industries right now, Veland said, but the need to address the skills gap among American workers still makes careers in technology a reliable source of employment.
“Tech is a great place to be because of the opportunities,” Veland said. “The tech sector is where you will find what are called ‘H3 jobs’ —high-wage, high-demand, high-skill jobs. Getting into these types of positions can change the trajectory of an individual’s life.”
Whether individuals are seeking exposure to technology through youth development programs, entry into a tech career or are established tech professionals in need of career development and leadership opportunities, AIM’s virtual programming provides the pathways:
Tech Navigator Service – A free service for students and adults to learn more about the opportunities in tech available in our community. The Tech Navigator Service assigns participants a Tech Career Coach to provide mentoring and support to create a custom career or education plan, as well as introductory tech education, workshops and resumé writing assistance.
AIM Code School – Initiated in response to growing business needs for skilled developers, AIM Code School provides accelerated programs that train people with no prior coding experience to become junior-level developers in as little as 14 weeks. It also provides upskilling opportunities for current tech professionals with specialized courses in Java, .NET and more. Newsweek recently named AIM Code School one of the top online code schools of 2020. A variety of course offerings are currently available.
Heartland Developers Conference – Scheduled for September 24, the region’s longest-running software design and development event is available in a virtual format. National, regional and local leaders will share the latest knowledge, new techniques and provide workshops for entry-level and experienced tech professionals.
Infotec Conference – The Infotec Conference is the Silicon Prairie’s premier annual gathering for business tech professionals. This year’s virtual event is on November 13, and is designed to draw ideas, insights and inspiration from attendees. Paul Jarrett, co-founder and CEO of Bulu, will be a featured keynote speaker.
Advanced Tech Leaders Academy – The annual tech management course for tech professionals consists of one full-day of learning each month (October 2020 – May 2021) with a focus on common on-the-job issues faced by tech managers. It provides leadership and management training that addresses the challenges of global competition and a changing workforce. Participation is limited and an application is required for entry into the program.
Emerging Tech Leaders Academy – This academy helps emerging tech leaders discern their career path and provides participants with a better understanding on the issues, challenges and skills needed in IT leadership roles. The six-week program curriculum includes presentations from experienced IT leaders in the community, peer discussions and key areas of leadership development. The program is limited to 30 participants whose registration must be approved by their employers to attend.
Custom Corporate Training – AIM also provides customized corporate training services to area businesses to upskill the tech talent of existing employees. For more information about the program, email Tony Veland.
Veland said the pandemic presents a natural time for individuals to pause and evaluate their career options and opportunities for development.
“It’s never a bad decision to invest in yourself,” Veland said. “If you look at the climate of employment, the opportunity is in tech and it continues to grow. AIM’s programs and relationships create access, remove barriers and develop potential.”
For more information about these programs or to register, please visit aimsite1.wpenginepowered.com/training.
ABOUT AIM INSTITUTE
AIM Institute is an innovative nonprofit that grows, connects and inspires the tech talent community through career development and educational programs. Through these efforts, we improve thousands of lives across the Silicon Prairie. More information about AIM is available at aimsite1.wpenginepowered.com.
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The AIM Institute’s Upward Bound Summer Academy is in full-swing online, serving 53 students during an uncertain summer that has upended the traditional model of after school programming and sent providers across the country scrambling to move their curriculum online.
Upward Bound is a federally funded program that provides outreach, student services and tech education to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them succeed in their precollege performance. AIM administers Upward Bound programs in five Omaha-area high schools.
Running from June 22 to July 24, Summer Academy continues the intensive education and enrichment that students receive throughout the school year. It is traditionally held at the AIM Exchange Building in downtown Omaha and typically includes multiple field trips and campus visits. Due to COVID-19, students have had to miss the in-person aspect of Summer Academy.
The shift to virtual learning has had some unexpected benefits, however, Upward Bound Project Director Tanya Jacha said.
For instance, AIM is not limited to hiring teachers and having guest speakers from within the Omaha area. A wider applicant pool has helped diversify Summer Academy faculty, allowing the organization to add more teachers of color and LGBTQ+ teachers.
“We are just rocking diversity right now,” Jacha said. “It’s awesome, and the kids are noticing and talking about it. They really love that.”
Another benefit of going virtual has been the increased flexibility for students. Since they can access curriculum at their convenience, participants are better able to seek summer employment.
In the past, students couldn’t work a day job during Summer Academy because they had to be on-location for classes and field trips. Students would have to forego employment or schedule their shifts at night after a long day of learning. That is no longer an issue.
“Being able to work has been a really big deal for our students,” Jacha said.
All Hands on Deck for Virtual Learning
This spring, when it became clear that holding classes in-person would be unsafe due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, AIM staff immediately got to work designing and building an online portal to facilitate virtual learning.
Drawing on the team’s areas of expertise, AIM faculty and staff created a comprehensive virtual STEAM curriculum that includes classes on web development, current trends in technology, the history of scientific discoveries made by women, a survey of the world’s most difficult math problems, and even a creative nonfiction writing workshop, among other offerings.
Students have enjoyed the breadth of Summer Academy curriculum, Jacha said. The Intro to IT class, for instance, grounds students in the history, theory and function of computers and computer networks. During a live discussion on Zoom, students expressed surprise at various tidbits from the history of computing, like the fact that there used to be no Wi-Fi on planes.
Jacha said students also enjoyed a presentation from iEXCEL, the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s simulation and visualization lab. The iEXCEL representative gave his presentation using a massive helix touchscreen, flying students through virtual bloodstreams and 360-degree views of different organs.
“Students were ooh-ing and ah-ing over that,” she said.
Learn more about AIM’s college access programs here.
Congratulations to the AIM Institute’s Emerging Tech Leaders 2020 Spring cohort for completing leadership training last week. A group of 26 IT professionals from various Omaha-based companies graduated from the program last Friday.
Emerging Tech Leaders is a two-month course to help tech professionals decide whether they want to pursue management opportunities in their careers. The AIM Institute developed this program to grow IT leadership knowledge and skills that will benefit tech talent and companies.
The program employs the real-world experience of existing IT leaders to help participants better understand the issues, challenges and skills needed to advance their careers.
Consisting of six intensive sessions, Emerging Tech Leaders covers topics ranging from resource optimization to effective communication skills development.
“(The program) was able to get me to think about leadership in an entirely different light,” said academy participant James Johansen, who works as senior software developer at TD Ameritrade. “It gave me a chance to really think deeply.”
Cohort members appreciated the diverse perspectives and problem-solving approaches that people brought to the group, said Marnie Frandson, business analyst for Farm Credit Services of America.
“Different people’s perspectives help us grow as leaders, and hearing from everybody how they’d approach certain situations was really helpful,” Frandson said. “I’m going to use that going forward as one of my tools.”
During the graduation ceremony, TD Ameritrade Software Consultant Patrick Peitz said he was inspired by the array of presenters and facilitators who had followed nonlinear career trajectories—something he could identify with.
“It’s inspiring to know that there are people who didn’t take a direct path to leadership and still are super successful at it,” Peitz said.
AIM’s Director of Tech Leadership Development Monika Philp confirmed the importance of introducing a variety of tech leadership styles to help IT managers adapt to an ever-shifting digital landscape.
“Technology is changing at a rapid speed and effective management and leadership skills are needed now more than ever,” Philp said. “Our Emerging Leaders program provides the skills, community and resources for tech professionals to grow both personally and professionally. It’s great to see companies investing in their talent.”
This was the sixth cohort of IT professionals to graduate from AIM’s Emerging Tech Leaders program.
“We are proud of our Emerging Tech Leaders and can’t wait to see how their careers progress,’ Philp added.
Interested in participating? Find out more about AIM’s leadership academies for advanced and emerging IT leaders here.
Doug Brown, Kiewit Technology Group
Keith Brown, TD Ameritrade
Chris Coleman, TD Ameritrade
Bryan Costanzo, TD Ameritrade
Pat Diederich, DMSi
Raja Sekhar Duddu, Mutual of Omaha
Madhavi Durgam, TD Ameritrade
Marni Frandson, Farm Credit Services of America
Bryce Fowler, TD Ameritrade
Jereomy Frum, TD Ameritrade
Mary Jo Jacob, CSG
James Johansen, TD Ameritrade
Tom McCauley, AIM Institute
Tina Mischke, KTG
Laura Morin, Farm Credit Services of America
Phil Morrissey, DMSi
Patrick Peitz, TD Ameritrade
Zoheir Puthawala, TD Ameritrade
Charles Sanders, Farm Credit Services of America
Corey Schaecher, Farm Credit Services of America
Kim Smith, Werner Enterprises Inc.
Terrance Steinhart, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
Lauren Taylor, Kiewit
Bryan Thomas, First National Technology Services
Emily Traux, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
Brent Vadla, TD Ameritrade
The AIM Institute is an innovative not-for-profit that grows, connects and inspires the tech talent community through career development and education.
Today, Silicon Prairie News published an in-depth look at “app-tivism,” the rise of mobile apps and social media platforms designed to help users take meaningful action to improve the world, and not just add more well-meaning noise to the so-called echo chambers of the web.
To those who might not think a career in tech could also mean a career in giving back, consider how technology has been used to address social issues in recent years.
Trendy eyeglasses retailer Warby Parker began online in 2010 with a buy-one-give-one social entrepreneurship model that provides a free pair of glasses for every pair the company sells.
That same year saw GoFundMe debut as a crowdfunding platform that is now widely used to help individuals and families, who in an era when wages have fallen behind the cost-of-living, carry the financial burden of necessities like unexpected medical costs and groceries.
Today, social media sites like Facebook have built charitable giving opportunities into their UX. Many users take advantage of Facebook’s birthday fundraisers to support causes they care about. (In 2017-2018, the feature raised $300 million for charitable causes.)
And now, apps like Samaritan—which facilitates direct donations and positive messages from the user to their unhoused neighbors—as well as the still-in-development Sojourn—which gamma-waved from the minds of three tech-savvy, Samaritan-inspired UNO students into a prototype that facilitates direct action and curates empathy through stories that move the human spirit—have altruism built into their API.
We spoke with the engineering minds behind Samaritan and Sojourn to learn the hard technical considerations that figure into apps designed to ply the human heart with kindness and compassion, ethereal qualities that may be more difficult to measure than compile-times, but which are necessary for the technology to succeed.
Samaritan UX Manager Christopher Sun said the team did a lot of research into the lives of those who would benefit from Samaritan, to find out their goals and how the app could help them succeed. Sun said it was hard to integrate all that field research with the feedback they got from potential users to design meaningful technology improvements.
“As difficult a process as that was, overcoming those hurdles meant moving closer to our desire to be a helpful tool for nonprofits in walking with their unhoused clients towards housing and better health,” Sun said.
Languages Samaritan was built with include:
Android app: Kotlin, Java, XML
iOS app: Swift, Objective C
Backend (database): Ruby, PostgreSQL, Ruby on Rails, React JS
Like the Samaritan team, UNO computer science major Michael Feldmann and his colleagues conducted in-depth interviews with several people whose stories are poised to uplift and inspire the prototype’s target audience to take meaningful action, such as by donating money to a struggling family or volunteering to deliver groceries to an elderly person.
“We are currently taking the content of those interviews and translating them into the content we are putting in the app, so we will be able to get our prototype in the hands of users,” Feldmann said.
At first, the team began writing the app with XCode/Swift. Then they switched to Flutter/Dart for the sake of efficiency.
“We chose Flutter/Dart because you write your code once and then can run your app on iOS devices as well as Android devices,” he said.
Had they stuck with XCode/Swift, the team would’ve built a fully functioning app that only worked on iOS. A single-platform mobile app would narrow Sojourn’s market penetration and undermine the scope of the vision. Plus, Feldmann and co. didn’t want to rewrite the app from scratch for Android. They’d rather spend their summer quarantine fine-tuning the virality of the user interface, not duplicating work they’d already done.
“Also, a lot of things with Flutter/Dart have been easier to learn and work with than with XCode/Swift, which is definitely a plus,” Feldmann added.
We don’t know many developers who wouldn’t consider that a win.
Through carrying out our mission at the AIM Institute, we know Omaha is committed to becoming a more equitable place for all people to live and work. But like cities across the country that are shaken by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, we also know a long road of progress lies ahead to realize our goals. We cannot afford to wait for tomorrow to work on being better.
We are saddened that on Saturday night peaceful protests turned violent and James Scurlock, a 22-year-old African American member of our own community, tragically lost his life in a shooting just blocks away from our downtown home. At AIM Institute, we know now more than ever, we cannot meet the complexity of the current state of race relations in our country with complacency.
Being a part of the community of Omaha and working with partnering organizations to build a more inclusive, diverse tech workforce has been a great source of pride for the AIM Institute throughout our history. As a nonprofit organization, we are fortunate to be a part of a community that passionately supports our tech education and career development programs, which reach underrepresented youth early in their educational journey. Our alternative pathways to tech careers and innovative training programs help current workers learn and develop skills to secure in-demand, high-paying careers in technology.
As we move forward from this dark moment in our history, we feel grateful that AIM can play a role in helping Omaha be a better community. We all can. We are dedicated to our nonprofit mission and investing in mentoring, coaching, resources and training to raise greater career awareness and exploration in tech careers and to create greater opportunity, inclusivity and diversity in the local tech workforce.
