IT Insights Blog

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity speak at the commencement services of a local college. The graduating class consisted of a wide variety of individuals, some young, some old and many with a great deal of experience — there was even a 69-year-old grandmother who worked full-time and took night classes. I was amazed at the diversity and tenacity of the graduates.

Updates and advancements abound in the realm of technology. A recent Business Insider article quoted Alphabet (Google) executive chairman Eric Schmidt saying there are six new technologies that will change the world. The list included fake meat (meat, that is, essentially grown as a vegetable from lab-engineered plants), 3D-printed buildings, virtual reality, smartphones in the medical world, self-driving cars, and machine learning in education. These advancements in technology prove the need for advancement in IT education and certification. As an IT certified professional, you might ask yourself, “How am I going keep pace with these advancements?” Well, Cisco is providing a way to stay ahead of the curve through course updates.

This week on Thursday, angry alien invaders are returning to Earth in the long-delayed sci-fi sequel Independence Day: Resurgence. The movie's trailers hint that the nations of Earth have not been idly twiddling their thumbs in the years since the first planet-wide conflagration. (Two decades past, both in real time and in the movie.) No, instead merely hoping that the intergalactic menace from the first film never darkens the skies over our major cities again, humanity has been bracing for the inevitable rematch. Our forward defense position is a base on the moon, and piles of money and resources have apparently been poured into advanced weapons technology.

In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a princess of Troy. A common version of her story is that, in an attempt to seduce her, the god Apollo granted her the gift of prophecy. Unfortunately, when she refused his advances, Apollo cursed her so that no one would believe her prophesies. During the Trojan War, Cassandra attempted to warn the citizens not to bring that large wooden Greek horse into the city. Unfortunately, the Trojans called her crazy and ignored her prophesy — leading of course to the unfortunate fall of the city and murder of its inhabitants.

“What millennials are most famous for besides narcissism is its effect: entitlement ... though they’re cocky about their place in the world, millennials are also stunted.” Ouch. As a millennial, this statement strikes a painful chord deep in my narcissistic and lazy core. I deserve better than this. It’s my right to be treated like any other adult! I would take the time to post my discontent on each social media platform I’m on — but I don’t want to play into the millennial stereotypes. Instead, I’m going to draw your attention to some of the many benefits that come with hiring a millennial employee.