National Technology Conference Equips Black Technology Professionals and Promotes STEM Education

HOUSTON - Aug. 6, 2013 - PRLog -- Are you an early career technology professional or a student studying an Information Technology or a STEM related discipline? Perhaps you are an Information Technology Manager, Technical Recruiter or Chief Information Officer. In either case, this conference was designed with you in mind. This signature event is designed specifically with promoting the success of African Americans interested in excelling in technology leadership positions, advancing IT careers and creating mentorship opportunities for them. NBITLO accomplishes this through promoting a distinctive atmosphere of networking, camaraderie, and mentorship through this annual event.
As a proactive response to address the less than positive statistics relative to the disproportionate number of African Americans represented in Information Technology positions, management and undergraduate as well as master and doctoral level degree programs, NBITLO, founded in 2009 created this annual technology thought leaders’ symposium. Blacks make up less than 6% of all technology professionals and less than 2% of all technology managers nationwide. Black people are 14 percent of the U.S. population and 13 percent of all students beyond high school. In 2012, they received just 8 percent of all STEM bachelor's degrees, 5 percent of master's degrees, and less than 3 percent of PhDs. From community college through PhD level, the percentage of STEM degrees received by blacks in 2011 was 7.2 percent, down from 8.1 percent in 2007.

Among the conference's many goals, it was designed to increase the chances of networking and mentorship, as well as technology leadership by emphasizing the importance of early strategic planning, understanding the highly competitive nature of the technology industry, and stressing the importance of academic preparedness, certification, and professional development. Overall, NBITLO seeks to dispel the many myths that STEM is “too hard” for African Americans and that Blacks just can’t be successful in technology careers. Another component of this conference is to inform technology professionals and future technology leaders about the academic rigors, demands, and expectations of STEM-focused professional learning, and to impart strategies to help them prepare for the challenging technology workforce experience prior to actually beginning their information technology careers.

During the symposium, a diverse group of panelists will cover a wide variety of topics in a power-packed symposium including “What More Shall We Say About This? - Advancing the conversation from simply talking about the challenges facing the Black Community to using our professional technology and media tools, methods, and talents to advance our interests socially, economically, and politically.”, “Women in Technology, Leadership, and Service Professions: Exploring Equity, Dispelling Gender Myths and Empowering Women to succeed”, “Raising Parental Awareness in STEM Education”, “The Black Technology Leadership Dilemma & Solutions”, and a signature career development panel “Branding You, positioning you for the interview, the promotion and beyond.”
This year’s named keynote speaker is Kai Dupé, Technology Evangelist. Mr. Dupé is a technical trainer and software development consultant with over 25 years of experience. Mr. Dupé is also a doctoral student at Pepperdine University where he is researching the lack of African American males in the information technology field. Kai is concerned with technology integration in urban schools as well as the educational achievement of African American males. He is an advocate for technology integration in American schools and is dedicated to encouraging African Americans to participate in the digital society via workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements. Among the list of conference panelists are Anjuan Simmons, technology translator, Mateen Diop, Ed.D, James Allen Woods, “The Branding Gladiator”, Andra Ward, Executive Trainer and Leadership Coach along with many others.
Additionally, the conference will connect technology students to real Black technology leaders and professionals who will share their real-life experiences and potentially serve as role models and mentors. Furthermore, it gives participants the opportunity to fellowship and network with others with similar educational goals and professional aspirations in order to create effective support systems and accountability partnerships with achievement-oriented peers.

Make plans now to come out and be inspired, informed, and empowered to stake your claim in improving your technology career. High school students, college students, college graduates, working technology professionals, career changers, advisors, supporters, and recruiters are encouraged to come out and take part in all that this conference has to offer. This is truly an unparalleled opportunity. Don't miss out! Events like this one don't come along every day. Register today while spaces are still available.

Conference registration information can be found online by visiting: www.nbitlo.org (http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbitlo.o...) 
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