Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training eZine

January 2014

In This Issue

Red Hat Innovation Advocate Program

For the CIO

Welcoming Our Newest Cisco Academy

Quick Links

Last Month's Newsletter

Valentine Treats

Listed for your enjoyment are PCATT courses for the month of February and beyond.

How Are We Doing?

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

If there is a particular kind of training or a burning desire to share something with us, click here.

Contact US

pcatt@hawaii.edu

honcet@hawaii.edu

(808) 845-9296

Proud to be:

Happy New Year!

It's the start of the Lunar New Year and according to the Chinese Zodiac, it's the year of the wood horse. May I be the first to wish you Happy Birthday for February 5th, Ren Ri, which is everyone's birthday. I expect that you will have an auspicious year.

All the best,

Beryl Morimoto

Program Manager

Hot IT Job Skills in 2014

Graphic from Kathleen Keough/IDG News Service

What are the hot IT skills for 2014? "Expertise in Web development, mobile development and large-scale data analysis will be much sought-after by IT hiring managers this year," according to Fred O'Connor writer for ComputerWorld. A Robert Half Technology survey found security as an area where CIOs are experiencing difficulty finding qualified applicants. Many of the hot skills can be acquired through PCATT. Keep learning; keep sharpening your skills at PCATT.

Red Hat Innovation Advocate Program

A small group of professionals recently completed Red Hat System Administration I training at PCATT with rave reviews from our Instructor who praised the intelligence and work ethic of the participants. These individuals and those of you who use Red Hat may want to participate in the Red Hat Innovation Advocate Program. It sounds like fun with learning incentives and opportunities for recognition both for you and your company. If you're interested in taking Red Hat System Administration II, the course will start on June 5.

Effective Security Professionals

If you've reached the level of a security professional, you are expected to have strong technical security skills. Today, a lot more is required. Read what professionals who were interviewed by CSO listed as the "7 best habits of effective security pros". Being a security professional is more than being a unseen technical expert. Do you agree?

Preparing to Ace a Job Interview

So you've got the "7 best habits" mastered. Here are tips to prepare for and ace your security job interview. Actually, these tips apply to just about any interview so even if you're not looking for a job, taking a quick look is helpful for everyone.

For the CIO

Image from PRNewswire.com

Pew Research suggests there is a disconnect between CIOs and IT professionals. CIOs think their IT professionals experience reasonably high job satisfaction yet 35% of IT staff said they expect to look for a new job this year. Reasons given are not surprising with 48% of IT professionals indicating they need a new challenge and 47% citing the absence of advancement potential. Additional pay was next. Solutions seem obvious, but we understand implementation in the real world isn't always easy. CIOs may want to read the five tips for retaining valuable employees.

Cisco Academy Update With Wayne Lewis

Wayne Lewis, Cisco Academy Manager

We are proud to be in our 16th year as an Instructor Training Center for Cisco Academy, serving as the leader for the Central Pacific in Cisco training. Our Cisco Academies span Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Fiji.

PCATT conducts instructor training in CCNA, CCNA Security, and CCNP using WebEx and NETLAB. We also teach CCNA, CCNA Security, and CCNP to paricipants both in-person and in a remote delivery modality. If your school is interested in becoming a Cisco Academy, email Wayne Lewis at waynel@hawaii.edu.

The new CCNA curriculum is now in use and there is a rumor that CCNP will be revamped this year!

Welcoming Our Newest Cisco Academy

Delana Methodist Secondary School, our newest Cisco Academy located in Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji Islands

"Bula" or "hello" Fiji style.

We welcome Delana Methodist Secondary School, our newest Cisco Academy located in Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji Islands. The school is situated on Mission Hill where the deed of cession was signed in 1874 for Fiji to be ceded to Great Britain. This Fijian town is regarded as a National Heritage Town because it was the first capital of Fiji until the capital was moved to Suva in 1970.

Valentine Treats

Listed for your enjoyment are PCATT courses for the month of February and beyond. We at PCATT are open to your ideas. Recently, a PCATT friend shared what is required in his organization and we are adapting the curriculum to meet his specification. Let us know your needs, we will work with you to meet them where we can.

And Finally...

Image from darkreading.com

DarkReading has great security news and updates and this slideshow contains "hacks" that will catch your attention. For example, researchers from the University of California experimented with brainwave signals to uniquely identify individuals. Yes, you have to wear that funny gadget on your head but you may never have to remember your passwords.