CompTIA Volley

Carolyn and Seth welcome James Stanger back to the podcast to talk about the state of cybersecurity for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. James is CompTIA's Chief Technology Evangelist, and he discusses some of the findings in CompTIA's new research, including the structure of today's security teams the adoption of a zero trust framework. Then he talks about how companies are dealing with privacy as they rely more and more on data for their offerings and products.

State of Cybersecurity 2020 research: https://www.comptia.org/content/research/cybersecurity-trends-research

Carolyn and Seth wrap up the series on the trajectory of technology with a look at workforce enablement. Companies have found that they are able to be productive with a remote workforce, but they can't always get the same level of innovation or networking. Moving forward, businesses will have to make decisions about their strategy and their culture, then they will have to find technology that enables both productivity and the pieces that typically come from face to face interactions.

Fast Company article on remote work: https://www.fastcompany.com/90545523/working-from-anywhere-is-possible-but-not-sustainable?partner=feedburner&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

Carolyn and Seth continue their series on the future trajectory of technology with a look at automation. As a natural next step after integration, companies are becoming more interested in automation as a way to both maximize their workforce efforts and create resiliency in their operations. While automation has traditionally been difficult because of the complexity of the tasks being automated, new technology such as artificial intelligence can help cover this complexity. Using AI is not always turnkey, though, and companies must consider the additional measures they will take in order to ensure that automation is happening properly.

Carolyn and Seth start a three-part series looking at the trajectory of technology. As the COVID pandemic continues, businesses are beginning to recognize that there is a new tech strategy to follow. Pieces of this strategy were in place before the pandemic, but they have taken on greater importance. Part 1 of this series looks at integration, a task that is certainly not new but is more critical than ever and has new metrics for success.

Carolyn and Seth speak with Juan Fernandez, VP of Managed IT Services at ImageNet Consulting, about various pathways in the IT industry. First, Juan talks about his own path into an IT career and how certifications are playing a more critical role for candidates seeking technology jobs. Then he discusses the path ahead for the IT industry, examining the way companies are accelerating their digital transformation efforts and planning on more cloud solutions, integration, and automation.

Carolyn and Seth take a look ahead at CompTIA's ChannelCon event. Running August 5-7, the virtual event covers the dynamics of the IT industry, the thought leadership of CompTIA's membership communities, and the future of emerging technology. See the full agenda and register for free at www.channelcon.com.

Carolyn and Seth talk with CompTIA CEO Todd Thibodeaux about what lies ahead for business and technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has created massive disruption, but there is also massive opportunity to rethink how things get done and how to use technology more strategically. Todd discusses the transition to remote work, the ripple effects of changes across different industries, and the skills that tech workers need for success in the future.