Advanced Technology Skills
What does Learning New Technology define as technology skills? For now, we define it as computer networking, programming, hardware, and application skills. In the future, you the client or visitor will help LNT define what the web audience considers technology skills.
careeragent.computerworld.com
Computerworld's Career Agent. Establish your profile, define your goals, look for training agents to help you upgrade your technology skills. We hope this is a unique concept. TechSpectrum is helping you find training whether it is from us or some other company.
Certification Types
www.microsoft.com/train_cert
Your journey begins here if you are seeking certification in Microsoft products.
education.novell.com
Are you seeking Novell certification? There are many vendors of that service. But why not go to the source.
Since we are a Chicago, Illinois based company, we wanted to provide something special for our Chicagoland friends. In time, we hope that our clients, visitors, and friends will help contribute with good information and links for learning technology in Chicagoland.
Advanced Technology Skills
- For now, try http://www.chicago-computer.com as an initial search point for training in the Chicagoland area.
- Also try the Technology Corner advertisement in the Sunday Chicago Tribune business section. It lists many different programs for learning hardware, software, networking, World Wide Web skills.
"How can I afford it?"
- You can pay cash. Most technologists don't like this option.
- You can ask your employer to pay. Most employer's don't enjoy this option because it means that they often re-train an individual and the individual takes a new job with another company in six months.
- Employee - Employer contract. Why not go 50/50 on a contract? You bear some of the cost of your skill upgrade and your employer also bears some cost.
- Loans. Many training organizations can find federal loans for you.
Links for Office Staff Who Want to Improve Their Skills
- Attend your local Chicago, IL college or graduate program.
- The Junior Colleges of Chicago.
"How can I afford technology training?" That's really the main question for most novices.
- Cash.
- Financial aid. Colleges will have financial aid offices to help you find funding for your education.
- There will be more! Send your ideas to LNT@TechSpectrum.com.
Links for Technology Novices Who are Disadvantaged
You've met people (or have friends) who are unemployed, underskilled, and short of cash. These same people want to upgrade their skills to join the technology field.
So far, TechSpectrum's research finds that the best source of training or skill upgrades for the economically disadvantaged in Chicago are named "one stop" training centers. "One stop" training assessment centers are scattered throughout Illinois, with 5 in Chicago. These centers are called IETC centers.
"The Illinois Employment & Training Center (IETC) is a federally-funded facility that is designed to provide a wide range of professional personnel services for employers and career assistance/job search service to job seekers at NO COST to you!
Training dollars are provided under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) through the US Department of Labor (DOL). Our government partners include the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA), Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), Job Corps, Chicago City Colleges (CCC) and is sponsored by the Chicago Mayor's Office of Employment & Training (MET)." - Quotation taken from the Wright Junior College IETC web page at http://www.qpage.com/host/ietcitt.shtml.
Here are two basic pieces of advice if you are an economically disadvantaged person looking to upgrade your technology skills in Chicago or the State of Illinois. This kind advice comes from a State of Illinois employee.
- Find an IETC "one stop" training center in your area. Visit them. Ask for a skill and training assessment. If you qualify for federal training dollars or programs they will tell you. Even if you don't qualify for dollars your local "one stop" or IETC will probably have other free services for you (computers, resume help, etc.).
- If you don't qualify for federal dollars at an IETC "one stop" center, go to your local college or junior college. Visit their financial aid office and inquire about financial aid for their college courses.
- The State of Illinois has many centers for local training. These centers are called Illinois Employment and Training Centers. They are also known as "one stop" centers. Please click on http://www.commerce.state.il.us/vfpcgi.exe?IDCFile=ietc/ietc.idc for the listing of the IETC centers throughout Illinois.
- One of Chicago's IETC centers is the IETC Wright College center at 3400 N. Austin, Chicago, IL. They will assess your skills and make recommendations as to where you can obtain training. Special thanks to Don Kell for his help. Refer to their web site at http://www.qpage.com/host/ietcitt.shtml or telephone Don Kell, Director -- (773) 736-5627.
- These are the "One Stop" IETC centers in Chicago as of May 28, 1998. A friendly staff person at the Mayor's Office of Employment and Training helped with this list (if there are errors, please let us know).
- Pilsen (the Pilsen neighborhood)
1657 South Blue Island
Phone: (312) 243-5100
Contacts:
Geraldine Rossini (IDES)
(312) 243-5100
Mike Irvin (ABLE) (312) 243-5100
Richard Collazo (MET)
(312) 243-5100
- South West One Stop Career Center (far south side)
7500 S. Pulaski, Building 100
Phone: (773) 884-7000
Contacts:
Katie Collier, E & E
(312) 884-7000
Felicia Clark, IDES
(312) 884-7000
Theo Bolden, MET
(312) 884-7000
- NorthWest (northwest side neighborhood)
3400 N. Austin, Room 352
Phone: (773) 736-JOBS
Contacts:
Don Kell, Director
(773) 736-5627
Barbara Hardene, IDES
(773) 736-5627
- Mid South
715 E. 47th Street
773-538-5627
- West Side
3500 W. Grand
227-7117
Contact: Iris Calloway
- Chicagoans should research their Mayor's Office of Employment and Training. Use the web to research http://www.ci.chi.il.us/WorksMart/EmployAndTrain/ or telephone (312) 744-8787. They will send you a brochure indicating training programs throughout Chicago.
- The United States government. Telephone the regional office of the Job Corps in Chicago, IL at (312) 353-1311 or try http://www.jobcorps.org.
- City of Chicago information. (If you are from a Chicagoland suburb and have information for this site, please email us at LNT@TechSpectrum.com.
- Your local library. Some libraries in Chicago have computer resources that you can use. Call first to locate a Chicago library with computer services. For example, the Portage Cragin library on W. Belmont has a very nice computer facility with approximately 10 computers. There are a few other centers like this in Chicago.
Chicago Public Library system
- Harold Washington Public Library (downtown). "Computer Connections" on 4th floor.
- North Austin Library (far west side of Chicago), 312-746-4233.
- Mable Manning Library (near United Center), 312-746800.
- Portage-Cragin Library (northwest side), 312-744-0152.
- Lincoln Park Library (near north side), 312-744-1926
- Uptown, 744-8400.
- Woodson Regional (far south side), 747-6900.
Skokie Public Library.
Initially most of our Chicagoland information has been regarding Chicago. But TechSpectrum's Learning New Technology group does plan on adding more suburban information. Skokie has one of the finest libraries in Chicagoland.
- Before you visit the Skokie Public Library visit their site: http://www.skokie.lib.il.us. The Skokie Public Library allows all persons to use their public web access or job information. However, if you wish to use their personal computers or check out books, they will ask that you get a Skokie Public Library card.
- Reference Librarians Steve Oserman and Frances Roehm of the Skokie Public Library have built a Chicago jobs site: http://www.chicagojobs.org.
("When's the last time you thanked a librarian?")
