CompTIA Blog

On Tuesday, September 19th, CompTIA hosted the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) for their 2017 Jobs Summit at headquarters in Downers Grove, IL. With over 65 legislators and staff in attendance from across the nation, CompTIA share insight about the tech industry as well as the great work and engagement by our member companies.

Technology has become ubiquitous in the lives Americans today. With all eyes constantly glued to the either a computer or mobile screen, the internet has become the ultimate hub of information on all things, including mental health, which is why tech companies are taking to this space to promote wellness.

CompTIA’s Human Services IT Advisory Group (HSITAG) met with officials from the Administration for Children, Youth and Families and the federal Health and Human Services Agency on Sept. 21st to discuss how the agency is using data to help deliver better customer service and care to citizens.

Last week, we talked about how every major hack comes with its own narrative. In outlining the Equifax hack narrative, I left out a key point – patch your servers. While it sounds like a simple solution, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

IT teacher Tymen Kuperus at Drenthe College in The Netherlands knows how much students – and the Dutch IT industry – can benefit from CompTIA certifications.

Girls and women face many hurdles building tech careers. But if Michelle Ragusa-McBain has her way, those obstacles will fall quickly. The community leader and channel professional definitely knows how to build a execute a plan; integrating her work, MBA studies, and a lot of family time into an extremely busy schedule. How does she do it? Read on...

I’ve become convinced that each major hack arrives with its own narrative that helps push the security industry along in one way or another.

Where should a newly expanding tech company focus? The easy answer is to look for businesses that rely on technology, value their time, and have large enough budgets to make a relationship worthwhile for the provider. But that's not always possible. A combination of financial, geographic and time factors come into play.

You are invited for a “Trade Talk on Tech” hosted by CompTIA and Women in International Trade (WIIT). Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA), Chairman of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, who is in his final term, will offer keynote remarks. Panels of industry and government officials will follow, with remarks to focus on the top digital trade issues of the day including, the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the bilateral relationship with China, among other hot trade topics. Lunch will be provided for all participants.

CompTIA ChannelCon wrapped in Austin, Texas, last month, and this week the association is presenting recorded sessions from the event as ChannelCon Online, scheduled September 19, 20. Here, CompTIA Future Leaders Community Chair Nate Teplow shares his top three takeaways from the event – the importance of cybersecurity, culture and diversity.

On Sept 12, CompTIA held a signature event in Chicago at mHub titled “Data Download: Understanding Data Policy”. Our first panel titled “Advertising Adventures” discussed how data is used for advertising, how users can control what is used, and why keeping a free and open internet is so vital. Among the panel speakers, Sheila Colclasure, chief privacy officer of Acxiom was very helpful in laying out that trust is necessary in order for companies to continue using consumer data in a helpful and thoughtful way.

At solution provider Clever Ducks, all of the techs and most of the administrative staff hold at least one CompTIA certification.

The problem few seem to address is the preparedness level of technology firms. From cloud and hardware suppliers to the MSPs that manage hundreds of business systems in a region, will they really be able to help others when a disaster occurs if their own operations are dead in the water (literally and figuratively)? As Irma and Harvey illustrated, the risks can be high.

CompTIA’s 2017 EMEA Member and Partner Conference, scheduled 17 and 18 October 2017, features a session that will help you get a great start on the journey to General Data Protection Regulation compliancy. With the May 25 deadline fast approaching, the clock is ticking and there’s not much time to get up to speed here. Don’t miss it!

The other day, I was asked if the IT industry has done a good job at identifying the skills necessary to succeed in cybersecurity. I couldn’t help but think of the difference between hiking up a well-maintained trail and an undocumented one.