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Virtual Workforce Development Approach Encourages Youth to Dig Themselves, Discover Their Talents and Compete for Prize Money
When CEO of Symphony Workforce Todd Smith speaks about Discover Your Genius, a workforce development challenge for high school and college students, enthusiasm brightens his voice. When he describes what DYG (“dig”) has done for underserved youth across Nebraska—particularly in rural areas where food deserts, poverty and lack of mental health services persist—it’s hard to…
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In midst of COVID-19, St. Louis-based GiftAMeal supports hungry people, restaurants
Andrew Glantz embodies the spirit of altruistic entrepreneurship. As a teen, Glantz served for 4 years as VP of the Southern California children’s charity Jr. Variety, planning fundraisers that obtained over $400,000 for various children’s causes. In college, he co-owned a nonprofit storefront promoting reuse and sustainability. And in October 2015, while still a junior…
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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Telecommuters
Many of us can only dream of working from home. No more rush hour. No more sack lunches or $11 takeout sandwiches. And especially no more long, drawn-out conversations about the loose floor tile by Kelly’s office. Well, now we have to miss all of those things. Many of us are struggling with the reality…
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KANEKO: Putting Omaha on the Map
Some might not realize it yet, but the arts and culture nonprofit KANEKO has fans all over the world. “KANEKO puts Omaha on the map,” said Samuel Bertino, KANEKO’s Individual Gifts & Community Engagement Manager. “It’s a place to come and see new and exciting things that are happening. Whenever we have people come in…
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Hybrid85 passes profits onto farmers
At the very top of the Nebraska State Capitol building stands a 32-foot tall bronze statue of the Sower, a figure representing agriculture’s vital role in the development of modern civilization. Maybe it wasn’t the best fit for the state license plate, but the Sower is an undeniable symbol of Nebraska. According to the Nebraska…
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Steel Wheels Keep on Turning, Thanks to Union Pacific Innovation
This is a guest post by Union Pacific. Imagine if roadside sensors could warn you before one of your tires suffers a blowout. While that technology is still a fantasy for drivers, Union Pacific Railroad has been using a similar technology to prevent train derailments for years. It comes by way of thousands of strategically…
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Send in the Clowns: An Experiment Outsourcing to Fiverr
Outsourcing used to be a dirty word. To some extent, it still is. That’s probably due to public confusion with offshoring, the migration of company operations to other countries to capitalize on cheaper labor. Offshoring connotes economic devastation: factories closed, jobs lost, communities destroyed. On the other hand, outsourcing—contracting work to a third party—is having…
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Physicians Mutual and AIM Institute Provide Pathway for Call Center Employees to Become Data Scientists, Web Developers
Last year, Nathan Coberly found himself asking how to get more people into tech. The Physicians Mutual Vice President of Enterprise Architecture and Development was part of a subcommittee of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative trying to develop a strategy for career changers and veterans to pursue IT. Coberly himself had transitioned from the military into…
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Creating a culture of self-care and wealth equity in the software industry
Gv Freeman wanted to cultivate joy and reduce suffering in the software industry. Having grown up feeling out-of-the-loop in Central Nebraska, the St. Louis-based entrepreneur burned extra hours to find opportunities in the tech industry. Self-care wasn’t a priority. It wasn’t even on his radar. In true startup spirit, he singlemindedly drove himself to build…
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Leadership Development for Smarties: from Source Code to the Boardroom
A first-rate developer is easy to spot. You can quantify how many languages a person knows, how effectively they work, how much value they offer. Evidence of their talent is tangible, well-documented, and often literally glowing. Good managerial candidates are less noticeable. Someone might be a persuasive presenter of innovative ideas, but lack follow-through. Another…