Posted by Rich Rodgers on Fri, May 11, 2012
Demand for IT professionals with cloud computing skills and experience seems to be surging, with several recent reports highlighting increasing employment opportunities for cloud-savvy job seekers.
A recent study by Wanted Analytics states that more than 5,000 cloud computing-related job advertisements were posted in the U.S. in February 2012, an increase of 92% over February 2011 and a 400% increase over February 2010.
CED Solutions provides training on Cloud Computing Skills and is the #1 location for Microsoft Certifications in North America such as MCSE: Private Cloud.
Here's more detail from Wanted Analytics, including areas where the demand for cloud skills was highest:
Cloud computing skills are most frequently advertised for jobs located in the San Jose metropolitan area. During February, more than 900 job ads in San Jose included requirements for cloud computing, growing 144% over the past year. Other metro areas with high demand for cloud skills were Seattle, Washington (DC), San Francisco, and New York. While employers in San Jose placed the highest number of job ads for this talent pool, the highest year-over-year growth was seen nearby in San Francisco at more than 150%.
Performing a keyword trends search for "Cloud Computing" on SimplyHired.com results in the following graph (from SimplyHired job trends):
Performing the same keyword search on Indeed.com results in a similar growth curve (from Indeed.com job trends):
It's important to note that this surge in job postings isn't entirely focused on IT careers, as demand for cloud skills has expanded into sales, marketing, customer support, and other disciplines and job functions as well.
We've blogged a bit about cloud computing and IT cloud career trends in the past, and I think the same argument still applies: Cloud computing is a transformative technology that will benefit IT pros who can serve as internal cloud strategists that can help their organizations move IT services to the cloud when it makes business and financial sense. Every business and organization has different IT needs and requirements, however, so the cloud will never be a panacea for all IT challenges, and on-premise and private cloud solutions may be a better solution for many. (Quick aside: My colleague Sean Deuby has an excellent take on the subject in his article on cloud computing career development.)
One way to bulk up your resume with some additional cloud mojo is to enroll in and pass some of the cloud security training programs offered by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). You can obtain a Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge, or enroll in dozens of other training classes offered by the CSA.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/cloud-computing-7/news2/cloud-computing-hiring-demand-surges-142593
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Fri, May 11, 2012
The demand for cloud computing skills has exploded, with hiring for cloud computing expertise growing 61 percent year over year, according to a recent report from Wanted Analytics, a talent research firm.
According to the report, over the past 90 days employers and staffing firms have placed more than 10,000 job ads that included cloud computing skills and experience as requirements. Those ads came from more than 2,400 companies in that 90-day period, which ultimately pushed cloud hiring demand 61 percent year-over-year.
CED Solutions, the #1 location for Microsoft Certifications in North America, has classes on MCSA: Windows 2008 Server, SCCM 2012, MCSE: Private Cloud and many more pertaining to proper use of operating systems and applications in the cloud.
The need for cloud computing skills has been pushing the market for months. Solution providers are seeking cloud-ready employees to bring their businesses to the next level. Additionally, a host of major IT companies, including HP and others, have launched cloud-specific certifications to arm the market with cloud skills and competence. And solution providers like Bluewolf have begun offering training programs, which in some cases are free, to deepen the cloud computing talent pool.
The cloud computing market is evolving at such a pace that while the number of job postings is skyrocketing, the talent isn't there to fill the positions.
"There are not enough skilled resources out there," Corinne Sklar, Bluewolf vice president of marketing, has said. "There's just not enough in the market."
Eric Berridge, Bluewolf co-founder and principal, added: "The talent gap this revolution is creating is wide and dangerous … For the most part these IT pros don’t exist, and if we don’t train them, America is going to fall seriously behind."
Among the most common positions that require cloud computing experience are computer specialists and programmers, but the recent cloud boom has also created a major need for cloud expertise in software and cloud applications.
San Francisco represented the metropolitan area with the highest volume of job postings and ads seeking cloud computing skills during the past 90 days. According to Wanted Analytics, San Francisco-area recruiters placed more than 1,000 unique job listings, representing growth of 95 percent year-over-year. San Francisco was followed by Seattle, San Jose, Washington, D.C. and New York. San Jose was the only location to see a decline in the year-over-year volume of online cloud job postings, which dipped to 12 percent fewer than in the same 90-day stretch last year.
Meanwhile, Wanted Analytics found that recruiting for cloud computing is likely "moderately difficult" and conditions vary based on talent supply and hiring demand per location. For example, Washington, D.C. has some of the more difficult recruiting conditions in the U.S., Wanted Analytics said, which creates a longer time-to-fill and job ads that are posted online for longer than the national average of 44 days.
The cloud job push also extends beyond IT jobs. Positions including marketing managers, sales managers, customer service representatives and cargo and freight agents are also requiring cloud computing skills.
"Overall, hiring demand for cloud skills for jobs that aren't IT-related has been strong," Wanted Analytics said. "In the past 90 days, there have been about 3,300 job ads posted online by employers and staffing firms, representing a 70 percent year-over-year growth."
http://www.crn.com/news/cloud/232301372/cloud-computing-skills-demand-skyrocketing.htm;jsessionid=AuBej7dv22K3+TjJJpVvAw**.ecappj02
CED Solutions is the #1 location for Microsoft Certifications in North America. www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Tue, Mar 27, 2012
A retiring top deputy at the FBI has given a blunt assessment of public and private efforts to combat cyberattacks on corporate targets: "We're not winning."
Shawn Henry, the FBI's executive assistant director in charge of cybersecurity, told the Wall Street Journal that the government and private companies aren't up to the task of defending sensitive data from would-be hackers. He called the current approach to the problem "unsustainable," because criminals can easily outsmart the defenses put in their way.
Henry, who is leaving the FBI after two decades, didn't focus his criticism on specific legislation, but the pessimistic appraisal comes as Congress attempts to tackle the issue in two competing measures aimed at improving security at power plants, nuclear reactors and other infrastructure.
One Senate bill, in a stab at bipartisanship, strips away a controversial Internet "kill switch" and makes other concessions. The authors stress the urgency of imposing a new cybersecurity plan at a time when major data breaches and denial-of-service attacks are increasingly making the headlines, however, several Republican senators have raised concern with the bill and have urged Senate leaders to allow time for other committees to weigh in.
Henry, who is leaving the FBI for a cybersecurity job at an unidentified Washington firm, advocates companies make major changes to persistently vulnerable networks.
"I don't see how we ever come out of this without changes in technology or changes in behavior, because with the status quo it's an unsustainable model. Unsustainable in that you never get ahead, never become secure, never have a reasonable expectation of privacy or security,'' Henry told the Wall Street Journal.
On the congressional front, the bill introduced last month in the Senate, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012, calls on the Department of Homeland Security to consolidate cybersecurity programs into one office -- the National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications.
At the heart of the bill is a requirement that the federal government identify the most critical components of the country's cyber-infrastructure and require them to meet certain security standards. This would cover everything from the nation's power to water to transportation services.
The bill would require DHS to look at systems that could, among other scenarios, severely damage the economy or cause widespread casualties if they were disrupted in a cyberattack. Operators would work with DHS to secure those systems.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/27/retiring-fbi-official-says-current-cybersecurity-unsustainable/
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Fri, Mar 09, 2012
An eventual full-scale cyberattack on the U.S. by a terrorist organization is "a certitude," a former senior intelligence official told Fox News, and "cyberterrorists" already are making criminal use of the technology to steal money and move it around to finance their operations.
Tech-based terror threats are increasingly raising concerns in Washington, and FBI Director Robert Mueller testified this week that such threats are among the most serious facing the U.S. -- including on the battlefield.
CED Solutions provides security training courses and certification for CISSP, Certified Ethical Hacking (CEH), Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI), Security Analyst/Licensed Penetration Testing (ESCA/LPT), Windows 7, Windows 2008 Server, CASP, Security+, CCNA Security, CCNP Security, and more.
Officials are reporting a sharp increase in the number of attacks by hackers, and Mueller, while not mentioning Iran, Russia or China by name, described a potential “cyber one-two punch,” in which a nation state or terrorist organization first steals intellectual property, then uses that information to interfere, jam or disrupt operations on the battlefield.
“Certainly long term threat is by nation states who are finding new and ingenious ways to exfiltrate information,” Mueller told the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. “On the one hand developing new technology for any future conflict, or on the other hand enabling them to disable our technology during in a time of war.”
Mueller also told lawmakers that terrorists may see cyberattacks as a winning strategy for circumventing the traditional post-9/11 security, which focuses on physical attacks. In prepared testimony he said, “Terrorists have not used the Internet to launch a full-scale cyberattack, but we cannot underestimate their intent."
Under questioning by Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., Mueller said he backed stronger criminal penalties for those who steal sensitive U.S. economic data.
"Our companies are targeted for insider information, and our universities and national laboratories are targeted for their research and development," the FBI director told lawmakers.
Mueller’s warnings took on greater urgency as the full Senate was briefed on the administration’s strategy for responding to a major cyberattack. Fox News was told the scenario included the takedown of the electrical grid. Significantly, the briefers included Mueller, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the head of the National Security Agency, Keith Alexander, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey.
Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned that the new battlefield is on the Web. “We have a new threat, the threat of cyber intrusions and attack," he said.
And at last month’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Worldwide threats, Sen. John McCain underscored the aggressive nature of China’s cyber espionage, which included the hacking of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s network.
“The number and sophistication of cyberattacks on American targets by Chinese actors, likely with Chinese government involvement in many cases, is growing increasingly severe and damaging," McCain emphasized.
Citing the recent arrests of Megaupload and LulzSec, Mueller emphasized at Wednesday’s hearing that cyberattacks are the ultimate borderless crime.
“Our ability to work internationally is absolutely essential in order to address the cyber arena,” Mueller said. “We have strategically placed agents with our counterparts in countries like Romania, the Ukraine, Estonia and the like, where much of the activity takes place.”
Mueller warned that the day may not be far away when cybercrime or cyberterrorism become the bureau’s main priority. Right now, it remains counterterrorism.
“Down the road, if a country steals those secrets that will enable that country to overwhelm us in the field of battle someplace, that is something that is a threat and ultimately may be a more serious threat.”
Fox News chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge's bestselling book "The Next Wave: On the Hunt for al Qaeda's American Recruits" draws on her reporting for Fox News into al-Awlaki and his new the digital jihad on the web -- Al Qaeda 2.0.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/08/us-faces-increasing-threat-cyberattacks-by-terrorists-including-on-battlefield/
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Mon, Mar 05, 2012
Michael Jackson's entire back catalogue has been stolen by Internet hackers.
Sony music suffered its second major security breach in a year, with thieves targeting songs and unreleased material by the superstar singer. It's alleged they downloaded more than 50,000 music files worth $253 million in the biggest ever cyberattack on a music company.
CED Solutions provides security training and certification programs to secure networks including Windows 7, Windows 2008 Server, CISSP, Ethical Hacking, Computer Forensics, Security+, CASP, Cisco CCNA Security & CCNP Security.
The news comes just a year after Sony paid $395 million for the seven-year rights to the songs following Jacko's death.
The contract with Jackson's estate also allowed them to release 10 new albums, including material from studio sessions produced during the making of some of the star's biggest albums.
The singer, who died in June 2009 at the age of 50, had recorded unreleased duets with artists ranging from the late Freddie Mercury and Black Eyed Peas singer Will.i.am.
In April the details of 77 million gamers were stolen after Sony's PlayStation Network was hacked. The breach cost Sony $168 million and damaged the company's reputation.
The attack on the Jackson files occurred shortly afterwards but has not been revealed until now. It was discovered during routine monitoring of social networking sites, Jackson fan sites and hacking forums.
A source close to the company said: "Everything Sony purchased from the Michael Jackson estate was compromised.
"It caused them to check their systems and they found the breach. There was a degree of sophistication.
"Sony identified the weakness and plugged the gap."
The hack has compromised the work of other artists managed by the firm, including songs by Jimi Hendrix, Paul Simon, Olly Murs, the Foo Fighters and Avril Lavigne.
The source added that the second breach happening so soon after the first "would have made investors and artists think, 'What other part of Sony isn't secure?'"
Last night Sony admitted there had been a security breach and that the Michael Jackson material had been stolen but refused to say how much the hackers downloaded.
A source within the company said that although the Jackson estate had been told about the hack the company did not have to make the knowledge public as there was no customer data involved.
They added that computer experts had traced the hack to the UK by examining a "fingerprint" allegedly left behind.
The Serious Organized Crime division took up the case and two men appeared in court last week charged with offences under the computer Misuse Act.
They denied all charges and were remanded on bail.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/05/hackers-steal-michael-jacksons-entire-back-catalogue/
CED Solutions is the #1 location for Microsoft Certifications in North America.
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For more information contact CED Solutions at cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Fri, Mar 02, 2012
Chinese hackers gained control over NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in November, which could have allowed them delete sensitive files, add user accounts to mission-critical systems, upload hacking tools, and more -- all at a central repository of U.S. space technology, according to a report released Wednesday afternoon by the Office of the Inspector General.
That report revealed scant details of an ongoing investigation into the incident against the Pasadena, Calif., lab, noting only that cyberattacks against the JPL involved Chinese-based Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
Paul K. Martin, NASA's inspector general, put his conclusions bluntly.
"The attackers had full functional control over these networks," he wrote.
CED Solutions provides security training and certification programs to secure networks including Windows 7, Windows 2008 Server, CISSP, Ethical Hacking, Computer Forensics, Security+, CASP, Cisco CCNA Security & CCNP Security.
JPL is a jewel in NASA's space technology crown.
Beyond a wealth of exploration programs, such as the recent GRAIL mission to study the moon and the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory, JPL manages the Deep Space Network, a network of antenna complexes on several continents that monitors both outer space and planet Earth.
Martin released written testimony about the attacks in the report "NASA Cybersecurity: An Examination of the Agency’s Information Security," presented to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee investigations panel on Wednesday. It details a host of security lapses and breaches of protocol at the space agency.
"In 2010 and 2011, NASA reported 5,408 computer security incidents that resulted in the installation of malicious software on or unauthorized access to its systems," his report states. "These incidents spanned a wide continuum from individuals testing their skill to break into NASA systems, to well-organized criminal enterprises hacking for profit."
Other incidents "may have been sponsored by foreign intelligence services seeking to further their countries’ objectives,” he noted.
NASA offered a statement to FoxNews.com saying that there was never a threat to the International Space Station, but did not specifically address whether there was a threat to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
"NASA has made significant progress to better protect the agency's IT systems and is in the process of implementing the recommendations made by the NASA Inspector General in this area," Michael Cabbage, NASA spokesman said.
The office of the Inspector General declined to offer further details, telling FoxNews.com it could not comment on the ongoing investigation. A spokesman for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory did not respond to requests for more details about the incident.
It's not known how the number and scope of computer security breaches at NASA compare to other federal agencies because NASA's Office of the Inspector General is the only OIG that regularly conducts international network intrusion cases, Discovery News reported Thursday.
In another successful attack against a NASA agency detailed in the OIG report, intruders stole a laptop computer that contained algorithms used to command and control the International Space Station (ISS), detailed by Discovery News.
"Some of these intrusions have affected thousands of NASA computers, caused significant disruption to mission operations, and resulted in the theft of export-controlled and otherwise sensitive data, with an estimated cost to NASA of more than $7 million," Martin wrote.
NASA said it is aware of the problem and taking steps to improve its computer security programs.
"The NASA IT Security program is transforming and maturing," the agency's chief information officer Linda Cureton said in her written testimony to the same panel.
"NASA is increasing visibility and responsiveness through enhanced information security monitoring of NASA's systems across the agency," she said.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/01/chinese-hackers-nasa-jpl-lab/
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Tue, Feb 21, 2012
The director of the National Security Agency warned that the hacking group Anonymous could have the ability within the next year or two to bring about a limited power outage in the US through a cyber attack.
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Gen. Keith Alexander, the agency's director, provided his assessment in meetings at the White House and in other private sessions, according to people familiar with the gatherings.
While he has not publicly expressed his concerns about the potential for Anonymous to disrupt power supplies, he has warned publicly about an emerging ability by cyber attackers to disable or even damage computer networks.
Alexander's warning signals a growing federal concern over the capabilities of Anonymous, a loose affiliation of so-called hacktivist computer programmers who have launched a raft of high-profile cyber assaults against US government and corporate targets.
So far, the attacks have primarily served to embarrass companies and organizations, and cyber security experts differ on the extent of the threat posed by
Anonymous.http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/02/21/anonymous-hackers-could-disrupt-us-power-grid-official-warns/
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Thu, Feb 16, 2012
Mike McConnell, a former director of national intelligence, and now vice chairman of Booz Allen Hamilton, said the volume of cybertheft is staggering.
Hackers in China and Russia, security experts say, are habitually breaking into foreign travelers’ mobile devices, leapfrogging into their corporate networks and stealing sensitive government information and corporate trade secrets, often undetected. I explored this issue in an article in Saturday’s New York Times.
But how much have they stolen? Nobody really knows. Most companies I spoke with were reluctant to discuss security breaches or even disclose what policies, if any, they had put in place to protect their trade secrets. In most cases, security experts say, companies do not realize they have been compromised until long after the fact. Yet nearly everyone I spoke with agreed that as hackers improve their capabilities, and as Americans migrate to a mobile workplace, the problem has only grown worse.
In testimony before the House Committee on Financial Services last September, A.T. Smith, the assistant director of the United States Secret Service, estimated that in 2010, cyberthieves abroad stole 867 terabytes of data from the United States, or “nearly four times the amount of data collected in the archives of the Library of Congress.”
That much is now “taken on a daily basis,” said Mike McConnell, the former director of national intelligence and now vice chairman at Booz Allen Hamilton in a recent interview. “The volume is staggering.”
Mr. McConnell said that in evaluating computer systems “of consequence”— at government agencies, Congress and in the private sector — he had yet to encounter one computer that had not been compromised by an advanced persistent threat.
Joel Brenner, formerly the nation’s top counterintelligence official at the office of the director of national intelligence, said the problem was “huge, but it hasn’t been persuasively quantified yet.” He added, “Trade secrets can be measured in so many different ways and most companies don’t know they’ve been targeted.”
Mr. Brenner was the first to alert American companies to the threat of digital espionage by foreign hackers in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. In a 2008 travel advisory, his office cautioned travelers that foreign security services and criminals could track their every move using their mobile devices, and remotely activate their microphones, even if their phones were switched off. If a customs official asked to examine a device, or if a hotel room was searched, the advisory warned, “You should assume the device’s hard drive has been copied.”
Four years later, security officials say the pace of China’s corporate espionage campaign has accelerated. “Within the last four years, cyber-espionage has gotten exponentially worse as their capabilities have gotten exponentially better,” said Representative Mike Rogers, the Michigan Republican who is chairman of the House intelligence committee. “The biggest threat, when it comes to cyber-espionage today, is the sheer volume with which China seeks to steal our intellectual property for its own prosperity.”
Mr. Rogers said that at a closed forum at Stanford University last month, which included executives from Cisco, Google, Intel and Oracle, each company acknowledged that it had been hacked and each said they believed China was the culprit.
Enabling matters, security experts say, are American workers themselves. It is far easier to steal trade secrets when Americans carry them around on their personal devices. According to a report by International Data Corporation, half of all mobile devices used in the workplace last year were employee-owned. Workers were connecting these devices to their corporate networks and using them to transmit confidential information, often without so much as a four-digit password.
“We never let go of these things,” said Tom Kellermann, chief technology officer at AirPatrol, a wireless security company. “We work with them; we even sleep next to them. That’s the dark side of Web 3.0. Once someone hacks your device, they don’t just hack the back end, they hack your network. They can turn your camera and microphone on. They can hack your whole life.”
CED Solutions is the #1 location for Microsoft Certifications in North America. CED Solutions provides security training courses for CISSP, Ethical Hacking, Computer Forensics, Windows 7, Windows 2008 Server, Cisco CCNA Security, Cisco CCNP Security, Firewall, Intrusion Detection, Security+ and more.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/how-much-have-foreign-hackers-stolen
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Sun, Feb 05, 2012
February 5, 2012
“It’s an exciting time to be in technology,” said Jenifer Mauney, metro market manager for Robert Half Technology. “If you have the right skills, you can ignore the 9.7 percent unemployment rate in Georgia. For most IT [information technology] professionals, it’s less than half that.”
CED Solutions is the #1 location for training for Microsoft Certifications in North America and provides training and certification for Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, CompTIA, EC Council, and many other programs.
In the fourth quarter of 2011, Robert Half Technology saw average unemployment rates of 3.6 percent for computer programmers and Web developers; 2.4 percent for computer and information systems managers; 2.2 percent for computer hardware engineers; and less than 1 percent for computer network architects and database administrators.
What’s driving the demand? “Technology is so integrated into business and life. Everything is going to the Web, and everything on the Web is going to mobile applications,” said Mauney. “Between e-commerce and business-to-business operations, companies have more and more data that they need to store, organize, analyze, report on and secure.”
That’s pushing the demand for database administrators, mobile application developers, business intelligence and IT security professionals and help desk workers.
“The help desk is a company’s first line of defense in meeting customer and staff expectations. We’re seeing those candidates begin to command higher salaries and all technology salaries increase incrementally,” said Mauney.
Because IT has moved into mainstream business operations, companies are looking for candidates with specific technical skills, business savvy and soft skills that allow them to work well with co-workers, customers and management.
Programming jobs are calling for Microsoft.net, C#, ASP.net and VB.net skills; while mobile employers are looking for Objective-C, Java, Cocoa frameworks, HTML 5 and DSS competencies. Business intelligence jobs need people with SQL Server experience who can use the SSRS, SSIS and SSAS tools, said Mauney.
“Technology is an industry that everybody needs, especially with companies shooting for efficiencies and a competitive edge,” said Tino Mantella, president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). “At present, there are over 4,300 job openings that we’ve identified in the tech space.”
Companies are requesting multiple skills sets to get more return on their investment, and many want experience as well as skills, making it harder for new grads, he said. On the other hand, acquiring technology skills for a first or second career can take less time than expected.
“When we traveled the state as part of the Science and Technology Strategic Initiative Joint Study Commission, we learned that 80 percent of technology jobs require less than a four-year degree,” said Mantella. “Not everyone has to be an engineer. That was eye-opening.”
A case in point is a new one-year certificate to train technologists in the health information technology field. Gwinnett Technical College and the Georgia Institute of Technology shared a $1.65 million federal grant to train more workers, including veterans, for this high-demand field.
The mandate for all health care providers to switch to electronic health records by 2014 is spurring demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 36 percent growth in health IT employment through 2018.
Georgia is the nation’s health IT capital, Mantella said. More than 200 health IT companies create $4 billion in revenue here, including McKesson Technology Systems, which is ranked first on the HCI-100 List, according to Healthcare Informatics.
“We already have a health IT associate degree at Gwinnett Tech, but this new certificate won’t tie people up for two years, and it will build on skills they already have,” said Lorri Christopher, director of institutional advancement, Gwinnett Technical College. “There are clinicians who need to acquire technology skills and IT professionals who need to understand the health care system. This certificate will fill the gaps in their knowledge and help people get jobs.”
TAG has identified seven technology sectors where Georgia leads: health IT, IT security, communication services, logistics technology, interactive marketing, mission critical facilities (data centers), and financial technology.
“Payment processing is a big part of financial technology, and statistics show that 80 percent of payment processing flows through Georgia,” said Mantella.
“Having so many companies headquartered here makes Georgia a hub for technology, and that helps us secure top talent,” said Jonathan LeCompte, president, Georgia/Alabama region, Verizon Wireless. Verizon has 63 company-owned and operated stores in the state. “We’re expanding our 4G LTE network in metro Atlanta, growing our customers and hiring people for sales, customer service, networking and IT positions. There are so many career paths in technology.”
Announcements such as Asurion bringing 250 new jobs to Buckhead and Greenway Medical Technologies adding 400 new jobs in Carrollton speak to the growing economic recovery in this sector.
http://www.ajc.com/business/technology-sector-has-plenty-1329940.html?cxtype=rss_ajcjobs_307880
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Posted by Rich Rodgers on Tue, Jan 31, 2012
Organizations are shifting money and commitment back to their learning and development plans -- as ways to build skills and retain talent. The format of such training continues to evolve, and employees are increasingly taking ownership of the process.
Organizations substantially increased spending on learning and development over the past few years, according to the two new reports.
The American Society for Training and Development's 2011 State of the Industry Report finds that organizations in the United States spent $171.5 billion on employee learning in 2010, up from $125.8 billion in 2009 -- an increase of 36 percent.
It also notes that employers spent more on employees' development than ever before, with per-employee spending at $1,228 in 2010, a 13.5-percent increase from $1,081 in 2009.
Pat Galagan, executive editor at Alexandria, Va.-based ASTD, says, "The old-fashioned thinking that says training gets cut first has been disproved. Companies now realize that tough times are when you increase training spending."
The report finds that the average expenditure in 2010 "represents the largest consolidated direct expenditure per employee since ASTD began collecting the data," which is based, in part, on a survey of more than 400 organizations across all major industries.
She acknowledges, however, that the increase in per-employee spending "could have been because there may be fewer overall employees [benefitting from this expenditure] -- but that still demonstrates a commitment to learning."
Harry Osle, global HR practice leader of Miami-based The Hackett Group, says "one key driver" to increased spending on learning and development is "the desire to hold on to top talent."
"If companies take the time to understand the career path, goals and aspirations for their top talent, and then respond with strong training and development options," he says, "they can hold onto people longer."
Osle says Hackett's research finds that companies with more mature talent-management capabilities actually generate 18-percent higher earnings than typical companies.
Another report -- this one by Oakland, Calif.-based consultancy Bersin & Associates -- finds that spending on employee development rose 9.5 percent to an average of $800 per learner in 2011. The report attributes the increase to organizations "moving to combat the current skills gap in the labor market."
The research, based on a study of approximately 600 companies and in-depth interviews with approximately a dozen learning and development leaders, also finds that investments in social-learning tools by large organizations nearly doubled in 2011, to $40,000 per company, on average.
"U.S. companies are now reinvesting in training to address a major skills gap, which we identified in the market more than a year ago," says Josh Bersin, CEO and president at Bersin & Associates.
"L&D organizations have realized that these formal learning events must be reinforced to provide lasting benefits," the report says. "As a result, these organizations are focusing more on getting employees to internalize the knowledge and apply the skills through continuous, reinforced learning environments. These efforts include manager coaching, collaborative tools and experiential exercises."
Breck Marshall, an executive director in Accenture's talent & organization management consulting group in Washington, says the reports offer good news.
"It's encouraging to see that [organizational leaders] are investing in the development of their people because it signals that they are getting focused on a key contributor to growth: talent," he says.
However, Marshall adds, in a survey Accenture recently conducted with 1,083 employed and unemployed workers in the United States, it found that the view from the trenches may be slightly different than the view from the top.
In that survey, only 21 percent of respondents reported developing new skills in the past five years through company-provided formal training, with 6 percent saying they built new skills from company-provided informal training, and nearly two-thirds -- 63 percent -- pointing to on-the-job experience.
"Our research also showed that workers are very open and willing to take responsibility for their own skills development," Marshall says. "More than two-thirds of our survey respondents indicated that it was their primary responsibility -- rather than their employer's responsibility -- to update their skills to remain valuable in their current and future roles within their current organization as well to remain marketable in their profession.
"We think these findings present a powerful opportunity for HR leaders to embed learning opportunities into everyday work to more quickly develop the skills of their people," he says. "Our survey indicates that workers are eager and open to new learning opportunities presented to them -- via formal training, informal training or on-the-job experience."
ASTD's Galagan says organizations must be willing and able to make the most of the latest training and development programs, as well as understand the ways in which employees are now accessing such information.
"Pay a lot of attention to mobile learning," she says. "That's going to be bigger and bigger as we go forward. We've now reached the point where more people access the Internet via smartphone rather than via desktop. You've got to learn how to leverage that change."
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