Episode 74, and wow was this a packed one.

Lots of great topics, tons of good conversation, a whole slew of new drops to be isolated for our opening...

...but I digress.  Thanks to our guests Kinsay Mantay and Nicole Johnson for coming out to talk about a cool program that gets you paid while earning your Associate's Degree as well as getting you a job once you're done, a $10,000 Internet of Things contest for young girls, a new group that's starting up that we're looking forward to doing more with in the future, and much, much more.

So let's get to some details...

As we typically do, we dove into the news, stories, events and topics that caught our attention over the past week.

We ranted about the Punch Bowl Social dust-up via social media that we believe got all too ridiculous all too quickly.  We talked about our event coming up this Thursday night (the 15th! Blackfinn! Royal Oak! 5pm! Be there!) for folks in and around the metro Detroit information technology community.  We got into some of the feedback that's been coming in and the original thoughts behind my blog entry recapping my trip to a comic book shop with my kids...and the surprise I got from my daughter while there.

In our second segment, we talked with Kinsay Mantay about the MAT2 program.

Now people...look.  We cannot make this any more clear for you.  This program:

1. Is wide open.

2. Gets you an associates degree.  That you don't pay for.

3. Partners you up with a company that you work at while getting that degree.  That you don't pay for.

4. You have a job at that company that you're partnered up with.  While getting that degree.  That you don't pay for.

5. So you're earning money. From that job with that company you're partnered up with.  While still getting that degree.  That you still don't pay for.

6. When the program's over, you move into a full time job.  Probably earning more money than you were earning before from that job with that company that you're partnered up with.  While getting that degree.  That you still aren't paying for.

Did you finish high school?  Do you want a decent job?  Would you like a degree without having to pay for it?  Would you like a more decent job after getting that degree?  CLICK HERE: http://www.mitalent.org/mat2/

I really don't know how much more simple than that we can make it, people.

Our third segment had us chatting with our other in-studio guest, Nicole Johnson.  Nicole's got a lot going on at the moment:  

- She's a systems engineer at Cisco.  

- She's one of the women launching Diva Tech Talk.  From CFOs of corporations to scrappy entrepreneurs, women are making a huge impact in technology today. Yet the numbers of women in tech are still small. We interview these leaders and highlight issues and trends in technology.  If other women can see IT, they can be IT.

- She's working to get the word out about Cisco's Internet of Things competition for girls aged 13-18 where the winner walks away with $20,000 and there are multiple other prizes ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.

In our fourth segment, we doubled back a bit on some earlier topics, dove into a few others, and then called it quits for the night with Bob vowing revenge for my musical selections during our breaks.  Which you can't hear here in syndication, so ha ha, you missed it, you totally need to start listening live.

The MAT2 program can be found at http://www.mitalent.org/mat2/

Diva Tech Talk can be found at http://www.divatechtalk.com/

Cisco's Internet of Things contest can be found at http://iotchallenge-cisco.younoodle.com/

As always, we can be found:
On the web: http://www.ITinTheD.com
On Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/ITintheD/ 
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/IT-in-D-Read-Meet-91763 
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ITintheD 
On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ITintheD 
On Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/itinthed/ 


Episode 74: MAT2, Diva Tech Talk, a $10k IoT Contest, Women in Tech, Our Event Thursday and More

The IT in the D Show

So what do a couple of IT guys from Detroit talk about when they go to the bar?
Welcome to the IT in the D show, brought to you by long-time Detroit IT veterans Bob Waltenspiel (The Sales Guy), and Dave Phillips (The Geek).
The duo has been putting on free networking events for the metro Detroit information technology community for over 10 years, helped more than 1,200 people find new jobs, and been featured in local and national news stories and publications for their efforts.  After taking on speaking engagements starting in 2011 that helped refine their message, in 2013 they took their ramblings to a broadcast format that has proven to be far more popular than anyone expected.
The IT in the D show is more conversational and less instructional – it is far more geared toward entertainment and local goings-on in the metro Detroit area than a deep-dive about specific technical issues.  It’s a bar chat, not technical seminar.  You’ll hear more movie quotes than MySQL queries and more Depeche Mode than development methodologies.  Not that the guys don’t roll up their sleeves and deep dive from time to time, but with guests ranging from local CIOs and CEOs to roller derby girls and pop culture icons from the 80s, don’t let the “IT” in “IT in the D” scare you.
Each weekly two-hour show typically includes current events and stories, guests ranging from local entrepreneurs to local IT rock stars to people with great local stories to tell, rants, raves and everything you’d expect from a couple of guys who have known each other and been drinking together for nearly two decades.

The show has been listened to over five million times to date and has been heard in all 50 states and 41 countries. We appreciate the time spent with us and welcome all feedback.

More information can be found online at http://www.ITintheD.com