Blog

Thomas Belleville

Bio

After over nine years working with the government in the criminal justice field, including working as a Probation Officer and a Private Investigator, I decided to make a career change into something that I’m really passionate about. I’ve found that I really enjoy working with technology, from building computers to troubleshooting. After a few years of casually doing just that on my own time, I was excited to find a program that could help me turn my hobby into a full-time job.

Read More

A split database will very often use a Navigation Form on the front-end as the entry point for users.  A good idea is to display the Navigation Form by default each time a user opens the database. This makes it easy for users to switch between the various forms and reports in the database without affecting the data tables stored and protected on the back-end.

This blog will explain a simple process of creating a Navigation Form by adding buttons to display forms and reports and then configuring options to display the Navigation Form at startup instead of the navigation pane.  In addition, a brief discussion will describe a more advanced process of Navigation Form design that opens database objects (including queries) and shows a message (if preferred) at startup.Read More

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: can Centriq really teach IT-skills like networking or coding in just four months?

It’s a fair question! If we weren’t already in the biz, our ears would totally perk up if someone told us we could become a fully trained IT professional in just four months. And to be fair, we’d be a little skeptical, too.  In a world with information-overload, it can be hard to distinguish what’s a sales pitch and what’s valuable information.  The good news? That’s what we’re here for: to break it down without all the glitz, glitter and fancy marketing terms. So, is a four month training program too good to be true?Read More

Maxine Sommerer

Bio

I live in Lee’s Summit with my husband of 16 years, our three kids who are 15, 13, and 11, and a spoiled, fat cat. Before attending Centriq, I was in early childhood education for 15 years and received my Masters in Teaching. I am very fortunate to have a strong support system in my immediate and extended family that have encouraged me as I step out to pursue a new career in technology.
Read More

For years, the running joke has been that computers and computer technology age at the same rate as dog years – seven years of progress for every calendar year.

It’s especially true for anyone who’s involved in the IT field, as skills that may have been current six months ago quickly become outdated. Even with a degree and years in the field, tech training to update your skill set is not just important – it’s invaluable.

We’ve put together a roundup of some of the IT certifications that can really enhance your career and earning potential:Read More

Robert Swindler

My professional background is in sales, and I left that field to try for more fulfilling and challenging options. The logical transition was web development as it allows for endless personal growth and countless problems to overcome. I’ve learned to live by the motto, “I might not know everything, but I can learn anything.” It has been a great maxim through this track.
Read More

Microsoft products and services have been victim to hackers for many years, and the recent growth in ransomware and phishing attacks has left Office 365 as a primary target. Phishing, the attempt to acquire sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and credit card details under the guise of a trusted entity in electronic communication, leaves Office 365 particularly susceptible. In an article from Redmond, Jasson Walker Jr. explains the defense necessary to reduce the risk of Office 365 falling prey to ransomware attacks. The following is excerpted from his article, Protecting Office 365 from Attack; to read the full article, follow the link at the bottom of the page.

Following the growth in ransomware and phishing attacks, it’s essential that Office 365 administrators take proactive steps to “hack-proof” their environments. A recent report released by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that ransomware “the fastest growing malware” quadrupled last year from 1,000 attacks per day observed in 2015 to more than 4,000 daily incidents with the amounts paid in ransom expected to reach $1 billion. The 2017 Verizon “Data Breach Investigations Report” found that 43 percent of hackers used e-mail-based phishing as their method of attacks, which were associated with espionage and financial theft.Read More

It’s become common practice for businesses to ask for customer feedback on all types of transactions. Whether you’re at the grocery store, getting gas or shopping online, companies want to know how satisfied or dissatisfied you are.

We ask for feedback from every customer that attends a Corporate IT training class at Centriq. The feedback you provide is shared with the instructor that taught your class, as well as the company’s Owners and members of the Management team.Read More

The following are classes that have been added to our schedule recently. Click through on the titles to help you determine which classes you will need to add to your 2018 training plan.

Many of these are so new dates are not posted on the website yet, but they will be shortly. If you are interested in a class and a particular date would work best for you, let your Training Advisor know and we will try to schedule the class on that date!Read More

When asked what college degrees he looks for on a resume, Elon Musk— the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX— made it clear that skills and abilities come first. While he acknowledges that graduating from a prominent university can indicate that a candidate might be “capable of great things,” he says, “what I’m really looking for is evidence of exceptional ability. There’s no need even to have a college degree.”

Is Musk right? Is a college degree necessary for a successful career in tech?Read More