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What an exciting October it has been at NPower! I am thrilled to shine a spotlight on two crucial aspects of our work: Cyber Security Awareness Month and a recap of our unforgettable annual NPower Gala.
October is synonymous with Cyber Security Awareness Month, and we are committed to playing our part in fostering a safe digital environment. Over the past few weeks we have shared resources and best practices to diversify the talent contributing to our cyber defenses-- outstanding individuals like Zion Keitt, who you’ll meet in this newsletter.
October is also a month of empowerment and community as we recognize transformational leaders at our 22nd Annual Gala. From inspiring speeches to heartwarming anecdotes, NPower’s Gala was a testament to the power of education and opportunity. We were able to raise nearly $2.1 million with your support and commitment. Take a look at the photo gallery capturing some of the evening's greatest moments.
Below you’ll read high points of our progress around the country and learn of upcoming events and featured press.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey towards a safer and more inclusive digital future. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to the NPower mission!
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Bertina Ceccarelli
CEO, NPower
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On October 17th, NPower honored and celebrated two incredible executives at our 2023 Annual Gala: Michel Khalaf, CEO of MetLife and Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi. Following an inspiring address by NPower alumna Yinette F. outlining the business case for inclusivity, our board members Matt Horner, Gail Fierstein, and Jennifer Kleinert masterfully set the tone for the evening. Our total amount raised reached about $2.1 million thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of two NPower board members and notable figures in the IT industry, David Reilly and Peter Trizzino.
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Addressing The Cybersecurity Talent Gap
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Earlier this month, NPower hosted their first ever panel (sold-out) discussion on the cybersecurity talent gap. Right now, there are over 600,000 open cyber positions. The dearth of talent poses additional risks to organizations, but we discussed ways we can close that gap with diverse and trained candidates. Learn more about the solutions NPower can provide for cyber talent by watching the recap on our YouTube channel.
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Zion Keitt
NPower New York
Cybersecurity Fall 2022
CORE Cybersecurity Associate, Comcast
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“NPower has the resources and mission to support me. Through NPower, I earned a CompTIA Security + certification. I want to represent small and medium-sized businesses looking for affordable cybersecurity and IT solutions. I come from a community of small and medium-sized business owners, so I understand the culture and the significance of SMBs to my community's local economy.”
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Zion originally wanted to be a doctor. She was volunteering at a day care center one day and talked to a colleague working in the IT department. After learning more about what they did, she got inspired to switch direction to IT/cybersecurity. Even with a college degree, she saw the need for more applied training and expanding her professional network so she applied to NPower.
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Sarah Chick, Program Director for NPower North Carolina, had the opportunity to inspire 300+ attendees at the North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH)’s Women’s Tech Summit during the panel conversation “Owning Your Seat at the Table”. She highlighted that while it is important to own your seat as a woman it is equally important to know when to remove yourself from tables that no longer serve you, nor support your growth, goals, or life balance.
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NPOWER NEW YORK & NPOWER NEW JERSEY
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NPower New York and NPower New Jersey’s Executive Director, Helen Kogan facilitated an important conversation discussion with key partners and an NPower graduate on attracting and retaining diverse tech talent at From Day One’s recent conference, Rediscovering Community Amid Changing Corporate Values.
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NPower Maryland is proud to have been a part of Baltimore City Information & Technology's Digital Equity Resource Fair, providing essential tech support. This event marked the beginning of National Digital Inclusion Week, a crucial campaign emphasizing the significance of technology access and digital equity.
Alumni and trainees were also invited to a tour of the Baltimore Gas and Electric facility and were enriched through professional advice and real-time customer support experiences.
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NPower Michigan had the honor of participating in Detroit’s Digital Inclusion Week, presented by Connect 313. Jose Reyes, Executive Director of NPower Michigan was a featured panelist along with other community leaders during the "Advancing Digital Literacy to Promote Workforce Development" panel. The engaging conversation explored what has worked, what still needs work, and what’s next.
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For the first time ever, two SkillBridge cohorts, Norfolk and Arlington Virginia will be graduating from their NPower Cybersecurity Training Program. They will be earning their certificates at the Virginia War Memorial and The National Museum of The United States Army. Our graduates will go from defending the nation to defending the network!
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PARTNER & FUNDER SPOTLIGHTS
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Comcast NBCUniversal is a proud partner with NPower New Jersey in promoting tech training and certification for 200 young adults and veterans from underserved communities. NPower values their support in helping underwrite our Tech Fundamentals program with a $200,000 grant in 2023.
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A significant element of our partnership with Lockheed Martin is support of NPower’s national Cybersecurity program, which is open to professionals with 1-2 years of technology experience or NPower alumni in good standing. The program provides upskilling opportunities to help NPower alumni advance their technology careers after completing Tech Fundamentals.
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We have served over 600 individuals that have taken their careers to the next level moving beyond the basics of IT to tackle more rigorous technology specialties. Our partnership with Lockheed Martin will enable us to serve many more future cyber professionals.
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From mentoring and hiring our students to generously supporting our work, KPMG U.S. is helping to advance our mission of creating pathways to economic prosperity through digital careers while addressing the cybersecurity workforce shortage crisis.
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SIM NY Outreach & NPower Executive Leadership Panel
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Join us for a virtual panel event hosted by the NY Metro chapter of SIM (The Society of Information Management).
During the panel, highly experienced technology leaders will directly address NPower students and alumni about key career topics such as the value of mentorship, networking, and the competencies that contribute to excellence.
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National Apprenticeship Week
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Wednesday, November 15 from 3-4pm EST.
In honor of the 9th Annual National Apprenticeship Week, NPower and the Institute for American Apprenticeships will be hosting “The Voices of Apprenticeship: Expanding Registered Apprenticeship to Underserved Populations.”
The event will showcase various voices of apprenticeships from the apprentice, employer, and mentor and highlight the value Registered Apprenticeships bring in providing high-quality talent pipelines for employers and unlimited possibilities for apprentices.
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Forbes Business Council Feature
Newly Published! Why AI Alone Cannot Create A Skills-Based Economy
Bertina shares her thoughts in her recent Forbes feature. While AI can help many of us accomplish our missions more efficiently, she also sees how the deep understanding of human-facing practitioners will, in turn, inform AI.
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