Jim Treleaven discusses Perspectives on Technology Workforce Challenges in 21st Century.

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the US economy in the 21st century will be the persistent shortage of STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Math) graduates. As the US economy becomes increasingly dependent on innovation, technology and services, a highly skilled workforce is essential. Even in this period of high unemployment, there is a persistent shortage of workers skilled in the STEM fields. There are two primary causes of this shortfall. The first is the lack of US students entering these fields in college. The root cause of this phenomenon can be traced to issues within the K-12 educational system. Much of this shortfall is addressed with foreign students, which leads to the 2nd cause of the shortfall. Over 25% of the US tech workforce is foreign-born. Well over half of the graduate degrees awarded in technology fields by US colleges & universities go to foreign nationals. Current immigration law discourages at best and more often than not prohibits these graduates from staying in the US upon graduation.

To look at the K-12 challenge, we will talk with Matt Hancock, the Exec. Director of the Chicago Technology Academy. The Chicago Tech Academy is a Chicago Public High School focused solely on technology & the sciences.

To discuss the immigration policy issues we will talk with Dan Varroney, the acting CEO of TechAmerica, the leading Association advocating on behalf of the tech industry.

Jim's blog is at http://viastrategygroup.net/perspectives/

Open Random Supportive or Closed Selective Controlling

What does this mean? Applying this to your online marketing strategy. Researching & understanding the importance of keywords using the Google Keyword tool & applying to your web content & social media profiles.

# hashtags

Ivor focuses weekly on you helping you sell/promote more service/product by raising your profile using  combined on & off line marketing methods    Ivor stays busy in his home city of St Albans whose history  pre-dates the Romans advising organisations of all shapes & sizes associated with business, community support & development with a focus on economic sustainability.   Ivor regularly contributes on BBC radio, has appeared on  BBC TV news & International TV shows & supports Social Media research for authors, academics, students & strategists.   We at the Linked Local Network are proud to have Ivor Kellock    Join our organization. Link Local, Connect Globally   Sponsored by   Mediavine Marketing - www.mediavinemarketing.com   Via Strategy Group LLC - www.viastrategygroup.com   Daniel Stoica - www.danielstoica.com   Mandatek LLC - www.mandatek.com

LLN Reports on Coffee Con in Warrenville, Ill. Mike Boehler and Michele Rempel will be interviewing attendees of Coffee Con on Saturday, February 25. If you aren't able to listen live then listen to the archived version later.   CoffeeCon 2012 is being held in Warrenville, IL a suburb located 25 miles west of Chicago in the heart of the high-tech corridor. CoffeeCon is the first of its kind as it is 100% aimed at consumers. The focus of Coffee Con is tasting and learning how to brew. Coffee aficionados will enjoy demonstrations and workshops with experts such as Kevin Sinnott, George Howell, Geoff Watts , Oren Bloostein and espresso expert Jim Schulman.   You can watch the festivities from 9a to 11a on http://ustre.am/iNQX   For information on attending http://www.coffee-con.com

LLN Reports on Performance Gains with Bob Hartung. Bob is the Founder & President of Performance Gains, Inc. based in Hoffman Estates. He is a self-proclaimed “RESULTANT” specializing in Small Business Consulting and Personal/Life Coaching.     He is married and has 3 sons and 7 Grandchildren. Prior to starting his business in 1996, held various leadership roles developing expertise in Management, Business Operations, Sales, Customer Service and Human Resources. He is also the Co-Founder of The CEO School and moonlights as a Professional Entertainer. (Santa Claus)   Some of Bob’s accomplishments include: -The Past Chairman of Greater O’Hare Association, serves on the board and leads the Strategic Planning Team. - Served on the College of DuPage Business Advisory Board - National accreditation from Sales & Marketing Executives International - Author of “Beating The Time Bandits: How to Transform Time Into Success, Wealth & Happiness”   Mike and Michele will also discuss upcoming Linked Local events as well as the Social Media Minute.     Sponsored by  Mediavine Marketing - www.mediavinemarketing.com Chicagoland Signs - www.chicagolandsigns.com I Am 4 Kids - www.iam4kids.com Mandatek LLC - www.mandatek.com Engaging Speakers - www.engagingspeakers.com

Trend On Jessica Bell with Tamara Leigh and Heidi Feemster.

Four years after starting her small, local wine school, Jessica Bell, is more excited than ever about the prospects of wine education with the evolution of her business to My Wine School.

In 2000, Jessica graduated from Duke University with a degree in Economics and Spanish and went on to work for Goldman Sachs in New York City. After 3 years in New York, she decided to give the other half of her degree some use, and moved to Spain. She found work at a winery and found her true calling. Upon returning stateside, Jessica began her formal wine studies with several New York-based wine and spirit education programs. She now holds the Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a Viticulture and Vinification Certificate from the American Sommelier Association. She is an accredited Spanish Wine Educator and French Wine Educator.

Jessica has been invited to many French regions, funded by each respective region, to learn first-hand about the region and be certified by their respective wine boards.

Jessica also has experience as a Sommelier at The Modern Restaurant in New York City and with a boutique importer for whom she sourced Spanish wines. In recent years, she has travelled to several wine-making regions from Champagne to Sherry, Maipo to Mendoza, Santa Barbara to Sonoma and most everything in between. Jessica is a co-host on the emmy-nominated television program Wisconsin Foodie, a host on Time Warner On Demand Wine Tips, and a regular contributor to the podcast "Life Between the Vines".

Mike Boehler and Michele Rempel of the Linked Local Network report on Veronica Ludwig. A self proclaimed Eccentric Professional and *Corporate Hippie, She is a

Social Entrepreneur, Consultant and a former Recruiter.

Specializing in accounting and finance search for most of my recruiting career, She merged into other niches in 2007.

This is when she co-founded the Skilled Recruiters Network of Chicago and discovered the true power of networking and relationship building.

After two years as an Independent Recruiter and Business Development Consultant with her first start up company,

She has continued to work on multiple entrepreneurial ventures focused around social entrepreneurship. Helping others through connecting others is her main focus.

In her free time she enjoys learning how to design and develop websites & applications, volunteering for various charitable causes and can often be

found around Chicago attending, organizing and hosting various types of events.

Mike and Michele will also discuss upcoming Linked Local evnets as well as the Social Media Minute.

For years our colleges and universities were laggards in the adoption of new technologies to improve both learning outcomes and the administrative experience. Now, however, it's becoming increasingly clear that colleges and universities are innovating in ways that we never imagined. Before students even set foot on campus they get a glimpse into this innovation through exciting virtual campus tours and the more mundane but nevertheless timesaving ability to apply online. Once they arrive they discover a transformed classroom experience, online course management, and a variety of delivery modalities ranging from the traditional to completely online. In today's discussion we'll see that these innovations are just the tip of the iceberg.

We are privileged to discuss this future with Lev Gonick, Vice President for Information Technology Services and CIO at Case Western Reserve University and Phil Hill, executive vice president at Delta Initiative, has been consulting to higher education customers for the past 10 years.

Strategy - The importance of your vision & mantra - researching your competitors - what are your USPs - how do you add value & recognise this? Putting this info into your Social Media profiles - connecting them together   Ivor focuses weekly on you helping you sell/promote more service/product by raising your profile using  combined on & off line marketing methods    Ivor stays busy in his home city of St Albans whose history  pre-dates the Romans advising organisations of all shapes & sizes associated with business, community support & development with a focus on economic sustainability.   Ivor regularly contributes on BBC radio, has appeared on  BBC TV news & International TV shows & supports Social Media research for authors, academics, students & strategists.   We at the Linked Local Network are proud to have Ivor Kellock    Join our organization. Link Local, Connect Globally   Sponsored by   Mediavine Marketing - www.mediavinemarketing.com   Via Strategy Group LLC - www.viastrategygroup.com   Daniel Stoica - www.danielstoica.com   Mandatek LLC - www.mandatek.com

Ivor Unleashed   Mike Boehler and Michele Rempel will interview Ivor Kellock. Ivor has lived a varied & interesting life (charity volunteer in Romania for a year 1992/3, lived in South Africa 1993 to 95 watching Mandela voted into power whilst travelling all of southern Africa).    In addition, Michele will share more information for small businesses during the Social Media Minute.    Ivor Pt 2,   Ivor will focus on local businesses, helping them sell more service/product by raising their profiles using combined on & off line marketing methods.    Ivor is a regular contributor on BBC radio.  He has also appeared on BBC TV news & other international TV stations. Ivor is regularly requested to support research globally for social media authors, academics and strategists.

TREND ON Greg Kuper of Public Image Media & Reality T.V.    Greg Kuper, owner of Public Image Media in Madison, WI is a writer and video/film producer.  Public Image Media has been in business for over three years and is focusing on the production of a reality television show called Casting Call.  Greg was born on April 29th, 1970 in Chicago, IL.