Centriq Blog Category: Corporate IT Training
Meet the Instructor: Mike Rissen
Meet Mike Rissen, one of Centriq Corporate Technical Trainers! Mike focuses on Azure and .NET training but is skilled in different IT areas across the board. Find out why Mike decided to join Centriq, why he thinks Azure is beneficial in a professional environment, and why Azure completely blows his mind.
Meet the Instructor: Craig Gerdes
Meet Craig Gerdes, one of Centriq’s corporate trainers! Craig teaches Microsoft 365 and Office desktop classes, along with Professional Development courses. He has worked in education for over 30 years and is excited to teach you what he knows. Learn more about Craig and his favorite apps to teach below!
The Switch Up in Job Market Trends: Hospitality Jobs Decline While Tech Jobs Grow Through 2029
When the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2019-2029 employment projection report in September 2020, it didn’t account for COVID and its drastic effect to our job market. But when the Bureau updated its report earlier this year, it foretold a somber story for some industries and the beginning of a boom for others — thanks to COVID.
Meet the Instructor: Ley Fatzinger
Meet Ley Fatzinger, one of Centriq’s Corporate Technical Trainers! Ley has been with Centriq since 2016, coming from over 25 years of industry experience that she brings to the classroom. As a lifelong learner, Ley loves to discover and explore new things that she can not only apply to her lessons, but also help make her more well-rounded through books, music, and traveling.
Microsoft Teams Continues to Reign Supreme in 2021
Microsoft Teams and its many services exploded in 2020 — and as the modern workforce continues to adapt to an asynchronous work schedule, its supreme reign isn’t slowing down in 2021. But in a battlefield with so many worthy competitors, why is Teams the go-to business communication service?
2021 IT Certification Roadmap
The Global Knowledge 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report is out, covering the biggest trends and findings from the year previous, including the most popular IT certifications worldwide. According to the report this past year was big for IT certifications: 87% of IT professionals have at least one certification, with 40% already working on pursuing their next certification. After training to receive a certification, professionals see instant results: over half of the certified professionals said their quality of work has improved, and one-third of certified professionals find their work to be more engaging since they have become certified.
The New CompTIA Security+ 601 Exam: A Complete Overview
In November 2020, CompTIA released the next version for the CompTIA Security+ exam, SY0-601. CompTIA updates its certifications every three years to keep up with evolving technology and to help keep IT professionals current with these changes. As businesses focus on a digital-first world during the coronavirus pandemic, having the most current security training for your team is more important than ever to help prevent any potential cybersecurity threats. Not only is a CompTIA Security+ certification the most popular security certification for employers, but it also fulfills the U.S. Department of Defense 8570 compliance. If you are an IT professional with an interest in cybersecurity, CompTIA’s Security+ certification might be the best next step in your career.
Year-end reflection: Use MyAnalytics to discover your digital work habits and set goals for the new year
Many of us found ourselves working virtually this year more than ever before, and our reliance on digital tools and workspaces increased along with that change. You may have found yourself using Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Planner, and other M365 apps and services for the first time or perhaps just more than usual.
One unique Microsoft 365 (M365) tool you may not have heard of is MyAnalytics. MyAnalytics is constantly working in the background analyzing your digital work habits and providing you a personalized view into how you spend your time.
MyAnalytics can help you reflect on your virtual collaboration and work habits, such as how much of your week you spend in meetings, as well as provide ideas for improving your digital work life, such as blocking focus time each day when you’re most productive. MyAnalytics is private and specific to you as an individual user and serves exclusively as an information resource for your own consumption.
New at Centriq: M365 MicroClasses
As companies shifted to a more remote workforce in 2020, tools such as Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 apps have become essential components of our workday. Most organizations have not had the time to formally train their teams on these tools, so employees instead figured out the “hacks” they needed to continue their normal work routines. In response, Centriq created a series of one and two day Microsoft 365 Apps classes which provided comprehensive training on all different components of M365. Now Centriq has created a new series of shorter training classes focusing on specific tasks or projects within various M365 apps. These new, two-hour learning events are called M365 MicroClasses.
Strengthen your skills from home
As COVID continues to alter the workplace, organizations are understanding that the “work from home” evolution requires not just improved technical skills but also improved “soft skills” such as more efficient communication, effective project management as new processes are implemented and even greater time management. Here are some of the most popular classes Centriq customers are taking this fall to close “soft skills gaps” as we adjust to the new workplace environment.