by Jerry Hayes | May 9, 2016 | Creative, Design, Featured, Free resources, Latest News, Technology
Howdy howdy! It’s your friendly tech newbie. I first would like to say happy belated Mother’s day to all of the Mom’s!!! Last week I wrote about the genius of the late music icon Prince and how he masterfully was able to leverage social media. The majority of development directors at our grass tops charity such as United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters etc stay in a constant scramble to connect with current/new donors. It is no fault of their own, but the business models these organizations were created would be compared to the stone ages. Things such as the internet were “pie in the sky” ideas of dreamers.
Today I would like to re-introduce a radio show the co-founder of Give N Go and our mentor co-hosted. The Start Something Radio Show, was actually a program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte that they vacated. We were able to adopt, revive and most importantly grow it to its true potential. The point of the program is to do media buying, selling and training for nonprofits of all sizes. A lot of charities still do not effectively utilize social media for its intended purpose. Its main/only purpose in my opinion is to break boarders and give real time interaction/engagement to us. We crave it more than ever and the millennial generation does not understand how to operate outside of it. We simply used the tools and we met EVERYBODY we wanted to meet and then some.
Take a look at a old story on us to learn about a few of the things that were able to do. My personal proudest moment is when Linebacker of the Carolina Panthers Thomas Davis chose a community we run after school programming for!
MOSAIC recently had the chance to hang out with the cast of the WGIV “Start Something” radio show and engage in a fun roundtable with its members. During our studio visit, we asked cast mates to vote each other “most likely” to do something.
Here are the results: Mr. Joe was voted “Most likely to do a Michael Jackson impersonation,” JoeDREW was nominated as “Most likely to be class clown” and J. Hayes was chosen to be “Most likely to win a Nobel Peace Prize.”
The dynamic personalities making up the “Start Something” cast might not possess formal backgrounds in broadcasting, but they do share a strong devotion to giving back.
A program powered by the Give N Go nonprofit, “Start Something” is a weekly radio show that advocates for people and organizations active in the Charlotte community. Simply put, the goal is to highlight those helping others.
Every Saturday at noon you can catch these guys’ live, on-air hosting segments centered on one of four “pillars”: health and wellness, arts and creativity, exploration of diversity, and service to mankind.
There’s Joseph “Mr. Joe” Butler, dubbed “The New Mr. Rogers of Radio” because of his optimistic outlook, often viewing life as a glass half-full.
I want to see the best in everything that we do so I’m always pushing positivity,” he says. The son of a former minister and weekly host of “Start Something,” Butler facilitates the on-air discussions at their studio and doesn’t hesitate to interject with words of wisdom when needed.
Or take Joe Drew-Hundley, “JoeDREW” for short, who is the playful comedian in the bunch. “I like to bring some energy and keep everybody laughing; that’s how my brain works. I find a joke in everything,” he says. Named “The Witty One” by Butler, Drew-Hundley’s quick comebacks and colloquial banter keep the on-air mood fun and light.
Then there’s Jerry Hayes, or J. Hayes as he’s popularly known, founder of the Give N Go nonprofit, the organization that makes “Start Something” possible. He’s the “Swiss army knife” of the crew bringing whatever is necessary at the time. “I’m a utility builder, I can be funny when needed, I can be serious when needed … I’m in the moment for whatever is needed,” he says.
Recently, MOSAIC was invited behind the scenes during the “Art of Mass Communication & Media” segment with special guest No Limit Larry of Power 98. On the show they spoke to listeners about mentorship and the importance of being passionate about what you do, and encouraged those tuning in to be “one-of-a-kind” and to not follow the masses.
Relationship rooted in being a positive force
Asked how the “Start Something” cast came together, Drew-Hundley playfully recalls his and Hayes’ first encounter. “We met in 2002 in class together, kind of looking at each other side-eyed…”
Butler became part of the movement several years later when he and Drew-Hundley were doing fundraisers for the United Way.
Butler recounts: “… We had to go out and raise money so we would do a lot of public speaking together and kind of developed a passion, a skill and some specialized tactics about how we would go and speak to people in the community.”
Connected by friendship and working relationships they united to impact their community and “Start Something.”
Since debuting the show they’ve had the opportunity to speak with notable guests such as talk show host and author Tavis Smiley, renowned matchmaker Paul C. Brunson and Carolina Panther Thomas Davis. Often, they’ll do remote broadcasts on-site for a number of community events as well.
“We want to use this as a vehicle to advocate for the community nonprofits that don’t have a voice because mass media, they pick and choose who they want to give credibility and shine to,” says Hayes. “…We want to be that voice for the mom-and-pop nonprofits because it’s a lot of good community work going on out here and everyone needs to know.”
by Jerry Hayes | May 2, 2016 | Creative, Design, Featured, Free resources, Latest News, Technology
Howdy howdy! Hope that you have had a great and restful weekend! This past week we lost a music icon in Prince. When the news broke, the first person I called was my Mom. To cut through the hour long conversation we had, I’m just going to give you the high level points. The first thing that she spoke about was how far he was ahead of his time and being an innovator lyrically. She then spoke about how many instruments he played and him playing with some of THE baddest bands. The last thing she said that stuck with me the most was…Prince being the internet before the internet was out. So I took it as all the stuff that is glamorized now from fast cars, partying, pretty girls etc he been about that life lol. After she had said that, it really got me to thinking about his body of work. By the numbers Prince published 39 studio albums, 4 live albums, 6 compilation albums and 136 music videos!
Some people may object to her statement, due to his “rocky” relationship with the internet. I would most certainly disagree though and say that Prince was very masterful at the use of its tools. In today’s online world we crave dynamic images and videos. So it was seamless for him to do it, I mean you can start by taking a look at album covers and old footage. Everything was already internet ready lol! From color schemes chosen, to specific scenes in his music vids. He was a misfit and a purist when it came to music. His real problem was with record labels further abusing their power and limiting what artist earned from hard work. Prince effectively used social media to engage with past and current fans.
Could you imagine if someone like Prince would have had the tools we are able to leverage today online back in the 70’s? This leads me to an important point about the internet. It is like the wild wild west and employers are looking for experts to help the tame the market. Mastering new media can not only help you work with MEGA STARS like Prince or even help the next fortune 500 company…but you can become a star yourself with these skills! Give N Go as an organization is now just really catching the early late train lol. Consider gaining skills like search engine optimization, keyword writing, content marketing and online selling.
Next week we will dive in to the jobs market for new media and how you can go from zero to hero in less than 90 days! We appreciate you for taking the time out to hear our rant! Peace & blessings.
by Jerry Hayes | Apr 18, 2016 | Creative, Design, Featured, Free resources, Latest News, Technology
Howdy, howdy!! It’s your local tech newbie again! Since I have gotten into the workforce training industry, peers and students always question the importance of certifications. I myself once did, but now see the importance. Studying to become a project manager has not only opened my eyes to new ways of thinking; but setting a standard so anyone can pick up where I leave off!
I will always champion for project managers, but we tend to be bias towards other things when we are partial to somethingJ! IT Security is quickly becoming my 1A, because its so much more than safe guarding key info. Its fun things like setting up secure networks, cloud computing and even hacking back in self-defense! I mean if hacking somebody back isn’t cool, I don’t think you have a pulseJ!
Getting back to my question however, certifications simply show that you have a sound foundation and that you are leader amongst the crowd! I do not want to discredit self-learning through platforms like YouTube for instance. Yet the learner, will be more apt to take the tutorials from people that are not only knowledgeable but CREDENTIALED. Certifications just gives people that extra bit of confidence that you know what you are doing. So to really get off to the right foot in the IT Security sector let’s take a look at some of the industry leaders.
CompTIA www.comptia.org has been in the training industry for well over 20 years. Give N Go serves as a training academy partner with CompTIA and we have been connected to other thought leaders and education providers. Their Security+ certification has set the global standard and are recognized by entities like Apple, IBM and the department of defense. They have made it easy for new upstarts like us to gain a strong foothold, with something that is industry supported.
Cisco Systems www.cisco.com is another entity that has well over 20 years’ experience in this field. They offer the Cisco Networking Academy to interested training bodies and educational institutions. Cisco is unique due to them building the networking systems for 90% of major corporations globally! The CCNA Security certification has some of the same fundamental principles as their competitor mentioned above, but have a few nuances. Their certification will also get you recognized by same organizations.
Come train with us today at www.givengo.org! We offer competitive pricing on our IT security library and you will get trained by our partner LearnSmart www.learnsmartsystems.com has created courses from individuals that hold these certifications but even more! So come by our site and join the ride today!
by Jerry Hayes | Apr 11, 2016 | Creative, Design, Featured, Free resources, Latest News, Technology
In today’s fast paced technology world, one thing has become evident as I move forward with learning this stuff. Securing personal information, is more important than ever before. Technology only makes it easier and easier for us to engage with the business community as consumers. This new level of ease has given us a false sense of security as we shop on the World Wide Web. Organizations have not properly prepared themselves to protect their client base leaving a back door, for cyber criminals to run rampant.
Due to the unpreparedness this has created two unique things, which are a skills gap and demand for more information security analyst. This dynamic field will only continue to thrive and evolve as new tech is created. Give N Go has created T.E.C.H. Connect to help in the fight of true digital literacy. This current generation has the opportunity to be the greatest society has ever seen. As their guides to tomorrow it is our job, to properly educate them in this digital landscape. We have foolishly convinced ourselves, into thinking that today’s youth are technology natives because they know how to loosely use social media tools.
True and sustainable knowledge comes from learning environments that engages students in real world experiences. This generation of youth and young adults are kinesthetic learners more so than groups in the past. It is our job as leaders within the sector to train tomorrow’s trail blazers, here locally within the great US of A! If you are a tech professional and have free time start a STEM club at a local school. If you do not know where to start but have the time and drive please visit our site at www.givengo.org. We are always looking for volunteers and have opportunities available!
Below are some great points about becoming a Information Security Analyst. Also we have listed a few topics that we cover with our students. Study and train with us and get a free CompTIA Security+ exam voucher. If you do not want to go after the CompTIA certification you will be ready to go after any standardized information security test! Train with us today!!
Course Topics
- 10 Security Concerns for Cloud Computing
- Physical Security
- How to Avoid a Cyber Disaster
- Protecting Your Network with Authentication and Cryptography
- Securing Communications
- Cloud Computing Security
- Cybersecurity Necessities: A Firewall, Antivirus, and a Well-Trained Workforce
- Hacking Back in Self-Defense
Fun facts
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there were over 88K jobs opening in 2014 and there will be an 18% increase between the years of 2014-2024.
- The national median is $88,000 also from the bureau too!
by Jerry Hayes | Apr 4, 2016 | Creative, Design, Featured, Free resources, Latest News, Technology
Give N Go(GNG) is expanding awareness in the thriving technology field, by decreasing the “digital divide”. We help people do three simple things by increasing their knowledge base by growing their ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information. Next the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers. Lastly a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment. Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments.
Give N Go’s workforce development T.E.C.H Connect program combines intensive classroom and field training on the world’s most cutting-edge technologies. Each program offers a highly structured curriculum designed to accelerate your skills training, enabling you to effectively transition into a permanent role within the public and private sectors upon the completion of our program. You will have the opportunity to be trained by field and subject matter experts specific to your desired career path. Graduates who are motivated to increase their depth and breadth of technical expertise are ideal candidates for these classes. Successful participants are those who are open to and excited by on-the-job training and hands-on work experiences. We are able to cater our programs to any age group or demographic. Outside of developing tomorrow’s talent, we more importantly develop hearts! Our primary target ages 16-28 are, with a high emphasis placed on underserved populations. Listed below are sample descriptions of some of our course offerings.
Information Technology Project Management–Highly knowledgeable and skilled persons are needed to deliver impactful results for rapid growth. Tomorrow’s leaders employ skills and techniques that can be used to initiate, plan, organize, staff, guide, monitor and control a successful project.
New & Interactive Media – The forms of communicating in the digital world, which includes publishing on CDs, DVDs and, most significantly, over the Internet. It implies that the user obtains the material via desktop and laptop computers, smartphones and tablets.
Mobile Engineering- Mobile Engineering focuses on creating native experiences designed specifically for mobile operating systems and the hardware they run on. Mobile developers create tactile apps that leverage internet connectivity, content capture functionality and hardware-specific features.
Data Science- Data Science focuses on using programming to find, extract, clean, analyze, and present data. Data developers work with researchers, statisticians, and developers from other disciplines to draw intelligence from data.
Front End Engineering- Front End Engineering focuses on creating experiences in web browsers that users see and interact with. The discipline covers a broad area, from web design principles to complex JavaScript applications that manage data.
Back End Engineering- Back End Engineering focuses on the logic and database needs required to run and scale web applications. Back End products combine databases, APIs, and user interface frameworks. Backend developers deploy fully formed products to the cloud, integrate with online services, and enable mobile and front end applications.
PC Technician-In this new fast paced technology environment, there is an even greater demand for cutting edge machines. Technicians assist individuals with day-to-day computer use, including installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of software, hardware, networking, and other aspects of personal computing.
Networking Systems- An individual who oversees the operations of a computer network has a vital role in any business or organization. Network management and administration refers to all of the activities associated with designing, building, monitoring, and maintaining computer and telecommunication networks.
