Spring: Really... is it finally here?

Isn't it about time? The snow has finally stopped falling. Amazing. Well let's move away from the weather and get back to some IT Club News.

Recently the IT Club has been making an impact at the .NET User's Group in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Attendance at CVNUG is at an all time high and it seems that part of the reason is because of a recent email sent around to students in the IT Programmer/Analyst degree program at CVTC which let them know about the User group. If you are interested in learning more about Microsoft's .NET Framework and other Microsoft Technologies then you should consider attending one of the .NET User's Group Monthly Meetings. You can find out more information about the next scheduled meeting by signing up on their site and checking out the schedule.

Spring is finally here...

Moving along, I wonder what's in store for the "IT Club" this spring? Last fall the IT Club held a BBQ meet and greet where CVTC Instructor Jon Cooley maintained his status as IT Club Frisbee Golf Champion. There aren't many IT Club Meetings left this semester, so let's hope a spring BBQ is brought up to put on the agenda before we break for the summer.

CVTC News

The Chippewa Valley Technical College has seen an increase in enrollment for IT related degree programs. The IT Programmer/Analyst program at CVTC was filling up long before crunch time this year and it looks like the trend will continue. This could be a result of the current economy and the thinning of the job market in Wisconsin. Many jobs were cut in the manufacturing industry. Perhaps some of those folks are making a change and moving to other career fields like: education, healthcare, and information technology. This of course does mean increased competition for IT related jobs currently on the market so make sure you are doing what it takes to get your face out there to prospective employers.

IT Club Bonus

Earlier this semester we broke out some tips for IT Club members needing to purchase books for classes at CVTC. Sure the information was public knowledge, but it seemed like not enough people were taking advantage of that information so we posted it here at the IT Club Web site. Since we liked the idea of passing new information on to IT Club members, we created a new section at the IT Club Web site. Simply titled, "IT Club Bonus", this new section will be used to pass along information we feel IT Club members could benefit from. Tips and info that will save them money, make them more marketable to employers, or provide them with new information about their field of study. So for the tail end of the Spring semester our IT Club Bonus is a short list of IT Related Web sites you MUST VISIT:

The important thing to remember about this list is that it does not include Aggregation sites like Digg or Break, Social Networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, or Simple Syndication sites like Wordpress or Drupal. Web sites like those are very important, but they don't provide you with new information as it hits the Internet. Instead they provide you with information that other people have already found, information that is already out there but that just hasn't become mainstream. They don't provide you with NEWS about your career field and the direction your career is headed as it comes in.

There you have it, a list of the Web sites you MUST VISIT on a regular basis if you want to learn more about Computer Programming and where IT is headed next. If you think you have a Web site that should be on the list then send us an Email and we'll see what we can do. Who says you can't learn anything by joining the IT Club?

Internship Opportunity

Last fall a NEW Local Internship Opportunity grew out of a partnership with the Capable Media, the first Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization Company in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. These internship opportunities are a great way for students to learn more about putting the knowledge they have received through their computer programming degree program into real-world practice. Students in this internship program learn how to build functional Web sites for local businesses. Students also learn how to work with others on projects that require meeting goals and deadlines. An internship like this is great on a resume because it highlights the skills you have used to produce quality work in a team setting; this is what employers are looking for.

Students seeking a Computer Programming Degree in Eau Claire are required to complete either the Information Technology Capstone class or a Programmer/Analyst Internship requiring that they perform any of the following job duties: programming business applications, web page design and programming, spreadsheet applications, and database applications. If you are a student enrolled in a local Wisconsin college computer programming degree program and need to complete an internship as part of your degree program then look into Capable Media for an internship opportunity.

IT Club Humor

Humor from xkcd.com!

XKCD Web Comic

IT Club Needs

Hey! Graphic Design Gurus! Yes, you! We still want a new logo for the IT Club Website. If you feel that you are qualified to re-design the Information Technology Club Website then send us an Email. Seriously! Display your skills on the Information Technology Club Website. Submit your designs to the Information Technology Club.