Intro to Convergence

Technology
June 19, 2007 Convergence Technology Center
Two important concepts:
“The World Is Flat” – Thomas Friedman, New
York Times columnist
The world is connected to do instant business
without the constraints of geographical or political
barriers. Individuals can have a huge impact on the
global economy.
“Who Moved My Cheese” – Dr. Spencer
Johnson
You don’t have to cling to doing things the
way they’ve always been done. Change can be a
good thing.
Let’s ask ourselves:

Are we ready to take our place as

a leader, or are we falling behind?

The future depends on our

recognizing and leading
Change requires:

 Leavingthe comfort of how we’ve

always done things in business,
community, and education

 Providing
education and training for
jobs we haven’t yet defined
We need to lead change:

 So our students develop skills continually

to be gainfully employed throughout their
working lives

 So our students in populations that

traditionally have not valued higher
education receive the help they need to
succeed

 So our neo-millennial students can learn in

a way that speaks to them
Neo-millennial students
Are digital natives who by high school
have
spent:
- More time playing video games
- More time talking on cell phones
- More time watching TV

…than reading
books
The teaching
challenge:
 Workers growing up in the 21st Century
will have 7 or more careers
 Education must be relevant and
engaging
 Too much content to be taught in class
(IT power is doubling every year.)
 We have to teach them to teach
themselves and to frame and solve
problems
Although jobs went down…

 Dallasportion of the DFW Metroplex

lost 100,000 jobs between 2000 and
2003 (Center for Economic Development and
Research Report, 2003)
 Registrations mirrored job loss
 Cisco registration at CCCCD
down 550 students from
1999 to 2004
 Telecom program had no graduates in
2004
However…

The time to prepare for a job is when

others are getting laid off.
Peter Senge, Fifth Discipline,
1990
Changes started happening…
 Rapid rise in home use of cable
modem and DSL (broadband)
 Decrease in cost of computer
equipment, especially models aimed
at the home
 Rapid rise in telecommuting
population
 Voice over IP gains popularity
 Fiber to the Premises (home) grows
 Voice, data, and video begin co-
IT situation improving…
 Computers are not going away, and
neither are IT jobs!
 As manufacturing jobs vanished, other
industries started.
 For job-seekers who are flexible
enough to acquire specialized training
or education, the opportunities can be
dynamic.

…So, where are these great

jobs? Source: US BLS Fastest Growing Occupations, 2002-2012
4 of the Top 10 Fastest Growing
Occupations are in IT!
Occupation Employment Percent
Change
2002 2012

106,000 166,420 57%

***Network systems
and data
communications
analysts***
Medical records and health 69,000 101,430 47%
Information Technicians

Computer software engineers, 179,000 261,340 46%

applications software

Computer software engineers, 128,000 185,600 45%

systems software

Source: US BLS Fastest Growing Occupations, 2002-2012

Local workforce predictions
say
This region will need to add at least
1300 convergence technicians in the
next five years

…So these great jobs will be found right

here.

Source: http://www.interlink-ntx.com
 Convergence Technology
Center
 $2.469 million over 4 years, awarded
August 1, 2004
 Convergence Technology is:

• the blending or integration of voice, video, data,

image into one flexible network

• the bringing together of products and

capabilities of multiple vendors so that they
provide the services the customer wants
(interoperability)

• active in enterprise businesses and homes

 Convergence Technology
Center
Personnel
 Ann Beheler, PI and Exec. Director,
CCCCD
 Bette Plog, Co-PI, El Centro College
 Christine Schubert, Senior Staff, Tarrant
County College
 Helen Sullivan, Director
 Ann Blackman, Program Manager
 Central
Park
Campus

Spring Creek
Campus

Preston Ridge
Campus
Tarrant County College District
Enterprise Convergence
Technician
Works in a large company handling
support for:
 Voice (including old telephony and Voice
over IP)
 Data (like regular computer networking)
 Video and Image
 Wired, wireless, different
 Qualities of Service
 Must have good communication skills
Home Technology Integrator
 Independent or working for a company
 Installs and integrates communications
systems and entertainment systems in
the home, including
 DSL and Cable Modem
 Wireless access WITH security
 Home entertainment/management
systems
 RFid and smart devices
 Must have great communication skills
 Likely the new entry level IT job!
 Can’t easily be off-shored!
Convergence courses:
 Developed from industry, national
standards and gap analysis with
existing courses
 New courses created, existing courses
updated
 Two courses taught by case study
 Security covered in courses
 Focus on solving real business
problems
Convergence Programs
72 contact hours for the degree
 Broad range of subjects covered
deep enough
 No silos
 9-10 certifications possible
 Good choice for students interested

in technology
 Math requirements are light for initial
degree, but needed beyond the 2-year
degree
Convergence Certificates
Fewer hours
 Still a broad range of courses
 Introductory
 Still no silos
 Good choice for students interested
in technology who think they may be
interested
Results to date
 IT/Telecommunications registrations up
almost 55% over 2004
 Companies that traditionally
recruited only 4-year graduates are
recruiting from us now (Nortel, Perot
Systems, for example)
 Cisco Channel Partners held
recruitment fair on campus
looking for grads
 First Convergence graduate
landed job at ephipany
Questions and Answers

 Helen Sullivan –
hsullivan@ccccd.edu
 www.convergencetechnologycenter
.org
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under
Grant No. 0402356
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation