POWERUp 2019

As technology professionals we have the responsibility to help the organizations we work for conduct business in a way that is efficient, timely, accurate, and compliant. Certification is a way for us to measure our ability and the abilities of those who work for us. The COMMON Certification Program does just that in the realm of Business Computing. The COMMON Business Computing Associate (CBCA), and its follow on the COMMON Certified Business Computing Professional (CCBCP), are the only credentials that measure our ability to effectively support our organizations. This session covers requirements for the certification program and walks through some of what you may find on the exams. Certification is important to your career and important to your employer. Getting started on the CCBCP now will give you the extra edge you need to get to and exceed your life goals.

Education in today’s IT and business environment challenges both the company and the employee. What skills are needed to provide for today’s (and tomorrow’s) business needs? How does the company and the employee deal with these challenges? How to decide; what to learn, how to learn and when to learn, when planning for future needs? These challenges differ depending on where a person is in their careers path. In this keynote, Jim discusses these challenges and more in this presentation. This is a great presentation for both managers and employees!

Learning Objectives:


1. Learn How IT is changing today's business environment.
2. How do companies ensure they have the skilled employees needed in this changing environment.
3.. How to educate employees with the needed skills.
4. Oops! I'm irrelevant... what to do.

Ok, maybe we're setting the bar a little high by saying EVERYTHING, but did you ever feel like all the people around you seem to just KNOW things, things you don't? Sure, you're a wiz with SQL, and no one codes RPG like you do, but when it comes to people skills, to working in teams, to communicating well, to building your career... Well, they never taught you THAT! Come to this session to learn everything you've been missing out on.

Learning Objectives:

Attend this session to learn to:
* Collaborate more effectively with other team members
* Resolve conflict with coworkers
* Improve your relationship with your boss
* Negotiate to get what you want
* Effectively market yourself in your current position
* Communicate better with everyone
* Understand EVERYTHING THEY NEVER TAUGHT YOU!

Career success in today's fast paced world is dependent on your ability to adapt and grow both through experiences and knowledge attainment. In this session we will focus on how you as a busy professional can, not just fit Continuous learning into your life, but instead make it apart of your life. We also have to understand that learning, like anything that demands our time, has to fit into our overall vision and plan. In order to make continued learning fit, we need to make a conscious effort to optimize and balance knowledge attainment with the execution of core activities. We all need to understand that tomorrow’s leaders must embrace continuous learning in order to create growth and competitiveness.

Mindfulness is a practice that trains your brain to gain a fresh perspective on your life and work. Learn how to use this powerful tool to see more calmly and clearly the challenges that you face in your organization. Major corporations have adopted mindfulness training to provide their employees with improved memory, better decision making, and lower stress. Some IT professionals report greater empathy and improved conflict resolution. We will not only talk about it, but actually do a few mindfulness exercises as a group, to experience a calm mind in the midst of a busy conference.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives:
• Learn simple exercises to bring focus and calm
• Know several practical applications of mindfulness

If you're a young IBM i user, or new to the system, you're invited to participate on a COMMON/IBM advisory team called Young IT Professionals (YiPs). You'll review COMMON and IBM i initiatives relevant to you and network with your peers.

Learning Objectives:

"Hey, do you have a minute?" We're asked that question many times every day, and while we say yes, the sad answer is... NO! Our lives and our careers are busier than ever. Feel like you're barely keeping your head above water at work? You're not alone. We struggle to keep up with the demands of our careers while retaining some semblance of balance between work and personal time. If you had an extra week - or more - every year, how would you spend it? Come to this session and learn the life hacks you need to supercharge your productivity!

Learning Objectives:

You'll leave this session knowing how to:
* Focus on the right things at the right times
* Better manage the constant interruptions
* Always have the information you need at your fingertips
* Automate repetitive tasks
* Use technology to your advantage

By the end of the session you'll have the tools to save over 168 hours - that's one full week - every year! What will you do with all that extra time?