Information technology (IT) underwent a major change in 2020 as organizations were forced to quickly adopt strategies to handle new cybersecurity threats and increase remote working and collaboration needs, according to Matrix Integration, a strategic IT solutions and managed services provider for more than 1,000 businesses and schools in the Midwest and beyond. Cybersecurity remains a top concern for 2021, as hackers continue to threaten organizations, particularly in energy/utilities, government, and manufacturing. (1)

“Although every organization is putting more money towards cybersecurity, the ground is always shifting,” said Rob Wildman, vice president of professional services at Matrix Integration. “It takes an overall investment in not just technology, but in people who understand the security environment and can work with the larger IT team to coordinate efforts to prevent, detect and mitigate threats.”

In addition to cybersecurity, both businesses and technology experts expect a continuation of remote work and learning.  In 2020, Matrix Integration worked with Cisco to design unified collaboration solutions for schools and businesses.

“The solution is powerful and flexible enough to work in the long-term,” said Reggie Gresham, vice president of sales and marketing at Matrix. “The work we’ve done includes new cameras, endpoints, additional bandwidth, and easy-to-use software tools to facilitate all kinds of collaboration and e-learning scenarios.”

For 2021, Matrix Integration predicts organizations will continue or increase their investment in these top five areas:
1.Cybersecurity.
2.Enterprise-level telephony systems for any business. 
3.Unified Collaboration. 
4.Edge-to-Cloud. 
5.Virtual IT Departments.

During June and July,  Carpets Plus Colortile had its “Shop for the Paws” event.   During this time period, many flooring vendors donate money based on the number of cartons or square footage of material were sold.

This year they were able to raise $700 through vendors, such as Shaw and Mohawk. Carpets Plus Colortile decided to match the gift and spread the love to two animal shelters!

The Mill, Bloomington’s nonprofit center for entrepreneurship, announced that ShuffleMe was the winner of the inaugural Spark Business Plan Competition today, December 15. ShuffleMe is predictive mood software to help social media users monitor the impact of social media on their mood. The SaaS solution runs in the background, using facial recognition and emotional AI to gather data for users and their mental health providers. Founder Britain Taylor took home $2,500, which she says will be used to help make sure the software is multiplatform. Test pilots are already running now with several medical institutions.

The competition was open to entrepreneurs in the Bloomington-Columbus area, and sponsored by Duke Energy. Entries were scored by a panel of judges including investors and experts representing Elevate Ventures, IU Ventures, the Kelley School of Business, the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, Velocities, and Ivy Tech Community College.

Additional high scores were earned by: OurSafeQ, a virtual system to manage lines of waiting; Reezy, an app to help consumers easily save all digital and print receipts from any store; and WayZada, which creates custom 3-D works of art to memorialize outdoor achievements such as long distance runs.

The Mill’s mission is to spark Bloomington’s innovation economy by launching and accelerating startups, and its vision is to become Indiana’s center of gravity for entrepreneurship. For more information on the Spark competition, visit https://dimensionmill.org/business-plan-competition/

SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP Certification Preparation Course
Now is the time to earn your SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential.  Expand your HR knowledge and practical, real-life competencies to make an immediate impact on your job and excel in your career.
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Our course combines expert instruction with the official SHRM certification prep tool: the 2021 SHRM Learning System. We offer a comprehensive and proven way to prepare for success on your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam.

More info, including eligibility for the exam and registration can be found here: ivytech.edu/bloomington/workforce

Spring 2021 Course: Instructor-led Classroom Training

• February 1 – April 26 (class does not meet March 15)
• Mondays 6:00pm – 9:00pm
• Ivy Tech Bloomington Main Campus (Class may be required to move to virtual instruction)
• Cost: $1300 includes instruction and course materials
• Prepares students for the SHRM exam

 
Questions – contact:
Trisha Doyle
Workforce Alignment Program Manager
812-330-6044
[email protected]
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On Friday, December 11, the first cohort of The Mill Code School, powered by gener8tor, graduated in a virtual ceremony. Featured speakers include Mayor John Hamilton and Secretary Blair Milo, the State of Indiana's first Secretary for Career Connections and Talent.

Funded in part through a $100,000 investment by the City of Bloomington, The Mill Code School was a 10-week free pilot program for Bloomington residents to gain entry-level coding skills, in order to access better employment options.  No prior experience or degrees were required. Participants could complete the program while also working full-time.