Category Archives: Computer Science
L’Oral & UNESCO Announce The For Women In Science International Awards – Beauty Packaging Magazine
On the occasion of the International Day for Women and Girls in Science, the Fondation L'Oral and UNESCO have unveiled the 23rd For Women in Science International Awards, which honor five distinguished women scientists with exceptional careers. Representing every major region of the world, they are rewarded for the excellence of their research in Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science.According to a UNESCO study on women in science, while the number of women pursuing careers in science is on the rise, reaching just over 33% of the world's researchers, progress is still too slow, particularly in Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering. Only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of computer science graduates are women.Moreover, comments Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, assistant director-general for Natural Sciences at UNESCO, this new study shows it is not enough to attract women to a scientific or technological discipline. We must also know how to retain them, ensuring that their careers are not strewn with obstacles and that their achievements are recognized and supported by the international scientific community. While they represent 33% of researchers, only 12% of them, on average, are members of national academies of sciences around the world."Not only is this a matter of equality, it is also a global social issue, particularly given that the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as "Revolution 4.0", will be driven by these scientific fields - precisely those where women are most absent. We are already seeing the dangerous biases generated by this lack of inclusiveness: in artificial intelligence, where women represent just 22% of people working in this field, algorithms frequently lead to discrimination mechanisms. Another alarming prospect is the over-representation of all women in jobs doomed to obsolescence: by 2050 half of all jobs in the world today are set to disappear, affecting 70% of women in a country like the United Kingdom.Therefore, UNESCO believes it is vital to act in favor of more inclusive research, and to encourage young girls to pursue careers in science, which too few still consider, despite being highly motivated to make a difference. Three out of four girls in Europe would like to contribute positively to the world through their jobs, but only 37% plan to pursue a career in science.Alexandra Palt, executive vice president of the Fondation LOral, says, "The invisibilization of women in science is still too significant. Today, less than 4% of the scientific Nobel Prizes have been awarded to women and the glass ceiling still persists in research. We absolutely must aspire to a profound transformation of institutions, of teaching and promotion of female researchers, of the system as a whole. While the gender imbalance remains in science, we will never be able to meet the challenges of an inclusive society or to tackle the scientific issues the world is facing.Based on the conviction that the world needs science, and that science needs women, the Fondation L'Oral and UNESCO are committed to the promotion of women in science, in order to render them more visible, make their talent known and inspire vocations. Since the creation of the For Women in Science program in 1998, 117 Laureates and over 3,500 talented young scientists, PhD candidates and post-doctorates have been supported and honored in 117 countries.Professor Catherine Ngila ChemistryActing executive director of the African Academy of Sciences, former deputy vice chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs (DVC-AA) at Riara University, Kenya, and visiting professor of applied chemistry at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.Awarded for introducing and developing nanotechnology based analytical methods for the monitoring of water pollutants and applying them in countries heavily impacted by pollution. Her innovative work is of vital importance for the development of sustainable water resource management, respecting the environment.Professor Kyoko Nozaki - ChemistryProfessor of Chemistry at the University of Tokyo, Japan.Awarded for her pioneering, creative contributions within the field of synthetic chemistry, and their importance to industrial innovation.Her research has led to new, highly effective and environmentally friendly production processes to manufacture molecules useful for medicine and sustainable agriculture.Professor Shafi Goldwasser Computer ScienceDirector of the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing, professor in electrical engineering and computer sciences at University of California Berkeley, RSA professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, United States of America and professor of computer science and applied mathematics at Weizmann Institute, Israel.Awarded for her pioneering and fundamental work in computer science and cryptography, essential for secure communication over the internet as well as for shared computation on private data. Her research has a significant impact on our understanding of large classes of problems for which computers cannot efficiently find approximate solutions.Professor Franoise Combes AstrophysicsProfessor and galaxies and cosmology chair at the Collge de France in Paris, and Astrophysicist at the Paris Observatory - PSL, France.Awarded for her outstanding legacy in astrophysics which ranges from the discovery of molecules in the interstellar space to supercomputer simulations of galaxy formation. Her work has been crucial in our understanding of the birth and evolution of stars and galaxies, including the role played by supermassive black holes at galactic centers.Professor Alicia Dickenstein MathematicsProfessor of Mathematics at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.Awarded for her outstanding contributions at the forefront of mathematical innovation by leveraging algebraic geometry in the field of molecular biology. Her research enables scientists to understand the precise structures and behavior of cells and molecules, even at a microscopic scale. Operating at the frontier between pure and applied mathematics, she has forged important links to physics and chemistry, and enabled biologists to gain an in-depth structural understanding of biochemical reactions and enzymatic networks.
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L'Oral & UNESCO Announce The For Women In Science International Awards - Beauty Packaging Magazine
USCIS Rescinds Guidance on H-1B Classification for Computer Positions – The National Law Review
Saturday, February 13, 2021
On February 3, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rescinded a policy memorandum that, while in place, had negated long-standing agency guidance for the adjudication of H-1B petitions in computer programming and related occupations.
A USCIS policy memo from December 2000, supported granting H-1B classification for computer programmers and individuals in other related computer occupations, on the basis that at least a bachelors degree or equivalent was the normal minimum requirement for entry into these occupations. As outlined in immigration regulations, occupations that require this threshold degree requirement for entry can qualify as a specialty occupation suitable for H-1B sponsorship. The December 2000 policy memo, which remained in effect from December 2000 until March 2017, relied on the U.S. Department of Labors (DOL) occupational classification guidance, which states that most computer programmer positions require a bachelors degree in computer science or a related field.
In March 2017, though the DOLs occupational classification guidance has remained constant, USCISrescindedthe December 2000 policy memo, finding that it did not contain an accurate representation of the regulatory requirements for H-1B classification. USCIS determined that the DOLs occupational guidance was insufficient to determine that a position within the computer programmer occupational classification was a specialty occupation. USCIS indicated that since the DOLs summary contained information that most, but not all, positions within this job classification require a bachelors degree for entry, the agencys guidance did not categorically support H-1B classification for these occupations. The agency further took issue with the lack of a specific list of degree fields that were related to the occupation.
As a result of USCISs change in policy, employers faced increasing hurdles in sponsoring H-1B workers in computer programmer occupations, as well as related roles in the computer technology field. Because employers were no longer able to rely on the DOL occupational guidance, USCIS often requested additional data from employers on their internal hiring and recruiting practices, information on industry hiring norms, and expert analysis on the sponsored employees technical duties and qualifications. The denial rates for H-1B petitions also increased during this period.
The February 3, 2021, USCIS policy memo, entitled Rescission of 2017 Policy Memorandum PM-602-0142, rescinds the agencys March 2017 guidance. The agency took this action after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned a USCIS decision as arbitrary and capricious. The court overturned a USCIS denial of H-1B classification for a computer programmer occupation, finding in part that USCISs characterization of the DOLs occupational guidance was flawed. The court noted that USCISs arguments followed the logic of the March 2017 guidance, and that this reasoning is not entitled to deference. USCIS has indicated that additional guidance will be forthcoming on the issue.
2020, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., All Rights Reserved.National Law Review, Volume XI, Number 44
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USCIS Rescinds Guidance on H-1B Classification for Computer Positions - The National Law Review
ENIAC, the first computer, is turning 75 in Philadelphia – KYW Newsradio 1060
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) A little more than 75 years ago, scientists across the world were realizing they needed a machine to do equations faster than humans could. Dr. Brian Stuart, professor of computer science at Drexel University, says people around the world were working on these ideas, notably in Germany, at Harvard University, and at Bell Labs.
But it was John Mauchly who ended up figuring out the blueprint for the worlds first computer, after taking a summer course at the University of Pennsylvania and meeting J. Presper Eckert.
When World War II consumed Europe, the US government needed fast and accurate calculations to advance the war effort. So the government invested in Mauchly and Eckerts plan, which eventually became the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, or ENIAC.
In some sense you can almost think of the machine as a very large number of desk calculators all connected together in such a way that one calculator can pass its numbers on to the next, and so on, Stuart described.
By late 1943, Eckert and Mauchly had assembled a prototype and then it became more of a construction project. The ENIAC machine ran along the walls of a room that was bigger than 32 feet by 16 feet.
Stuart says by early 1944 the two men were already starting to think about their next machine.
So it turns out the machine didn't end up being used for the war even though war needs is what funded it.
The ENIAC performed top secret work for the US government in the winter of 1945, running calculations for a project that was later declassified and revealed to be nuclear weapons development.
So since the war was over (and) the machine was now working, the army decided to publicize it and make it public, Stuart said. And thats what we are about to celebrate is the 75th anniversary of that public unveiling of that machine in February of 1946.
The ENIAC, as Stuart puts it, set the stage for the computer construction, performance, and programming developments and innovations of the next 75 years.
On Monday, February 15, the University of Pennsylvania will host virtual presentations about the first computer. And on Thursday, February 18, there will be roundtable discussions in affiliation with the University City Science Centers Venture Cafe.
People can register for the Venture Cafe special event featuring Stuart and other computer scientists involved in the ENIAC presentations.
People will be able to come and ask any question that occurred to them when they were watching the videos, he said, and dig a little deeper into everything that's gone on since then really kind of right here where it all started.
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ENIAC, the first computer, is turning 75 in Philadelphia - KYW Newsradio 1060
Women engineers at BBVA. Science and technology is also a girl thing – BBVA
A few years ago, and even today, when talking about computers, programming, and software development, the first stereotype that comes to mind is that of a computer geek: a person (usually male) with weak social skills who is smart, disheveled, obsessed with computers, self-taught, and works around the clock.
But that is not an accurate depiction. Nowadays, it would be difficult to identify all the different roles available in tech by looking at someones physical appearance.
Jos Antonio Gallego
Talent & Culture of BBVA
Tech roles are as varied and different as those performed by these four women with technical backgrounds who today work in BBVAs Engineering and Organization unit: Jennifer Sesmero, computer engineer, head of training and talent attraction in Corporate Security; Natalia Heredia, telecommunications engineer, head of cross-functional network projects in Architecture; Berta Gmez, physicist and expert data scientist on the Advanced Analytics team and Ilse Anahi Esquivel, computer science graduate, who works at the data center in Mexico, as part of the Infrastructure and Operations team.
These four professionals agree on one thing: we need to believe in ourselves more. I dont like to generalize, but in many cases, girls tend to suffer from imposter syndrome more, are more insecure, and tend to think things through a lot more. On the other hand, although there are many exceptions, boys tend to be more confident and believe they are more capable than they actually are in some cases, said Berta.
Girls tend to suffer from imposter syndrome more, are more insecure, and tend to think things through a lot more
Few people are probably aware of the key role women played during the development of computer science in the 1980s. In early 1984, 37% of computer science students in the United States were women. Similar figures were found in Spain, where 30% of the students were female in 1985. However, in subsequent decades, these rates dropped by 12 to 15% in Spain, according to data from a research conducted by Juan Julin Merelo and Cecilia Merelo.
When I started to study Computer Science at the European University of Madrid in 2003, I was the only girl in the first course. In subsequent courses, there were three or four of us because some joined later. Thanks to that experience, we became close friends and have been friends for almost 20 years, said Jennifer.
Natalia had a similar experience: Since I started in Telecoms, I have been in a world where we were in the minority. But that did not affect me at all. On the contrary, I believe that as women we can contribute extra value in the scientific and technological world, innate capabilities that we possess and know how to enhance.
Change, not always doing the same thing, continuously learning, and doing something innovative that required constant renewal, thats what I liked, said Ilse.
Berta, however, was inspired by her high school physics teacher: He told us that he would teach the classes as if they were at college, and I loved it. I loved having to make an effort to detach myself from everything, to have a comprehensive view and, based on that, solve any kind of problem, recalled Berta.
Today, the percentage of women professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is around 30%, a figure similar to the early days, so there is still a long way to go to achieve equality.
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Women engineers at BBVA. Science and technology is also a girl thing - BBVA
The Information Technology program at Fred Eberle Technical Center prepares students for the trades of tomorrow – My Buckhannon
While Fred Eberle Technical Center in Buckhannon offers a number of programs that focus on traditional careers, it is also on the leading edge of information technology, giving students hands-on experience in computer repair, drones and robotics jobs that will be in high demand over the coming years.
Chad McKisic is the FETC instructor for Information Technology. He said the courses in computer repair, robotics and drones are open to both high school students as well as adults.
In computer repair, I teach three different certifications, McKisic said. They are industry-recognized and will get the student an entry-level job in areas such as an IT help desk or in IT installation.
Modern businesses use information technology in increasingly complex ways, including in payment processing systems and cloud computing. That means more manpower is always in demand to establish and service those networks.
McKisic said the robotics and drones course helps prepare students to meet the federal requirements to operate in a commercial setting.
The class in robotics and drones gets the learner ready for the FAA Part 107 commercial drone pilot license, McKisic said. Robotics also helps teach concepts in computer science, physics and mechanics.
McKisic said his classes incorporate project-based learning and are very hands-on. To prepare students for the business world, classrooms are set up under the simulated workplace model.
Our classroom is run like a business, and each student has responsibilities to keep the workplace running, he said. That includes doing the actual computer repair at the center itself.
All of our computer repair students are responsible for the school, he said.
Buckhannon-Upshur High School senior Frankie Ellis is enrolled in the robotics program. He opted to take the course because he wanted to learn about an occupation that will be essential in the future.
The future is moving toward robots and artificial intelligence, Ellis said. I enjoy learning about repairing and troubleshooting systems. I can repair components in computers and I can fix iPhone screens.
Ellis plans to attend Fairmont State College, and he feels what he learned at Fred Eberle Technical Center will be useful in college, later in his vocation and in everyday life.
The certifications will definitely help me get a job in the future, Ellis said, and they will help me when getting into college, because I can use them on my resume. These skills will be something I can use in my day-to-day life as well.
Ellis encourages students in Barbour, Lewis and Upshur counties to consider taking classes and learning trade skills at FETC.
Go for it, he said. This is a free form of advanced learning. Being part of a simulated workplace has taught me how to work together with others and how to communicate effectively with others the simulated workplace is an experience that helps you learn about working at a real job.
Ellis said he just secured employment with Raven Rock Networks and his time at FETC helped him get the job.
Going to the FETC and putting that on my resume was instrumental in securing my work there, he said.
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Highlights from BYU colleges: Advertising students recognized as ‘most promising,’ free autism workshop helps educators – The Daily Universe -…
College of Fine Arts and Communications
The American Advertising Federation recognized seven BYU students as being among the most promising multicultural students of 2021. The BYU student winners are Kofi Aidoo, Rebekah Baker, Evelyn Harper, Haliamai Kealoha, Lillian Maero, Joseph Nugent and Donna Wilson, all seniors graduating this year. This is the largest group being awarded from any single university. The students competed by submitting essays and letters of recommendation and will now have the chance to present their work and share their perspectives at a national networking event.
We are so grateful to have these extraordinary students recognized by the AAF as the most promising multicultural students, professor Jeff Sheets said. Sheets is the founder and faculty advisor of the BYU Advanced Advertising laboratory. They are being recognized not just for their multicultural background but because they are so talented in their area of study and expertise.
David O. McKay School of Education
A free workshop organized by the David O. McKay School of Education helped families and teachers learn new strategies for working with autistic children. Guest speaker Tom Higbee presented the workshop on building independence in autistic individuals using photographic activity schedules. Higbee heads the department of special education and rehabilitation counseling at Utah State University.
Higbees photographic activity schedules can help promote greater independence in autistic people by providing images that illustrate the order in which tasks must be completed. This can decrease dependency in children, allowing them to complete chores and school assignments without extra prompting.
We like to present transitional research that takes scientific findings and gets them into practice right away, event organizer Terisa Gabrielsen said. Gabrielsen is an associate professor in the McKay Schools counseling psychology and special education departments. In the universities were doing and monitoring research, and were trying to get that out to you each year in terms of what we are learning about autism.
College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
The winner and runner-up of the 2020 Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship were both students from the BYU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Tyler Mansfield won $800 for his research as an undergraduate working with Benjamin Webb and David Erekson. The first study with Webb analyzed the biological phenomenon of Taylors Law, while the study with Erekson used mathematics to support client-therapist relationships. Mansfield is studying mathematics with a minor in biostatistics.
Josh Robinson won $400 for his computer science research while an undergraduate at BYU. Robinson graduated with a degree in statistics and minors in computer science, mathematics and Chinese. Robinson is pursuing a masters degree in computer science at BYU.
Phi Kappa Phi is a national honor society that recognizes outstanding academic work and service.
Click the buttons below to visit each colleges news page, or see general BYU news here.
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Tennessee Awarded Nearly $7M in Grants for Computer Science Pathways and STEM Education – tn.gov
Nashville, TNToday, the Tennessee Department of Educationannouncednearly $7millionin grantshas been awarded to Tennessee to strengthen computer science pathways and STEMeducationand helpmorestudentsbeprepared for successafter high school.Withlocal, state, andnational partners,Tennesseehas been awarded the Education Innovation and Research (EIR)earlyphasegrant for$4,000,000 andwas one of only four states to be awarded theOut-of-School Time Career Pathway Programgrant for$2,900,000.
Thanks to longstanding partnerships with local and national partners, Tennessee is receiving nearly $7 million dollars tostrengthenhigh school achievement, boost postsecondary enrollment and directly benefitTennesseehigh school students,said Commissioner Penny Schwinn.These grants will help ensure students are given additional opportunities to earn credit and build critical skills before leaving high school, which we know is essential for the success of our students and our state.
The EIR Early Phase Grant will supporta newinitiative,the TennesseeSySTEMforCollege and Career ReadinessProject,that will leverage innovative industry-postsecondary partnerships to expand STEM and computer science strategies, including embedded work-based learningopportunities,in 20 high schools across Tennessee.By partnering with regional postsecondary institutions and employers,students will beable to simultaneously earn early postsecondary (EPSO) credit and gain workplace skills that prepare them to enter and succeed incareers inSTEM and computer science.
The TennesseeSySTEMfor College and Career Readiness Projectis developed in partnership withJFF (Jobs for the Future) and the American Institute for Research (AIR), andparticipating schools will be selected through a competitive grant processthat the department will launch thissummer.
"JFF is excited to deepen our long-time partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education through the new TennesseeSySTEMfor College and Career ReadinessProject,said Joel Vargas, Vice PresidentatJFF.It is a privilege to support the state in building on its tradition of innovation by expanding work-based courses in STEM and computer science that improve college and career outcomes for high schoolers."
TheOut-of-School Time Career Pathway Programs grantwill launchtheTennessee Expansion of Computer Science Career (TEC) Pathways Project,which is aligned with Governor Bill Lees Future Workforce Initiative and willexpandcomputer science andSTEM pathways in rural communities across the state.
Led by the department in partnership with the Greater Nashville Technology Council (NTC),the newTECPathways Projectwillbringtogetherfiveruralschool districtsandpostsecondary and industry partners tohelp improve the outcomes of rural and high-need students andpromote the growth of computer science pathways in ruralcommunitiesthrough virtual expanded learning opportunities and out-of-school programs.
Tennessee districts were eligibleto apply toparticipateinthe TEC Pathways Project if theymet two criteria of the federal grant:be inaruralcommunityandofferout-of-school programs through the 21stCentury Learning Center federal program.The five districtsthat willparticipatein the TEC Pathways Project areWhite County Schools, Hamblen County Schools, Gibson County Special School District,CockeCounty Schools and Trenton Special School District.
Through the Tennessee Expansion of Computer Science Career Pathways Project, the Greater Nashville Technology Council is grateful to continue the long-standing relationship with the Tennessee Department of Education to expand STEM pathways in rural communities across the state,said Sandi Hoff, Chief of Staff, Greater Nashville Technology Council.The NTC looks forward to coordinating work-based learning experiences, to connect rural students with local tech professionals in our community, so students may explore and train for IT careers and pursue postsecondary education in the tech industry.
Foradditionalinformationabout Tennessees CareerandTechnical Education initiatives and programs,including Tennessee Pathways,clickhere.For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contactEdu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov.
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Tennessee Awarded Nearly $7M in Grants for Computer Science Pathways and STEM Education - tn.gov
Kilmer’s Bipartisan Amendment to Boost Computer Science Apprenticeships Included in House-Passed Apprenticeship Bill – The Suburban Times
On February 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, which invests more than $3.5 billion over 5 years in expanding opportunities and access to Registered Apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships. The legislation included Representative Derek Kilmers (WA-06) bipartisan amendment to ensure computer science youth apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship programs are prioritized for funding through the comprehensive legislation.
We know that apprenticeship programs are one of the most effective paths to high quality, work-based learning in America. And in todays changing economy, its important to continue to find ways to prepare our kids for the jobs of the future jobs in advanced manufacturing, health care, technology, green jobs, and computer science,said Rep. Kilmer. Thats why Im proud that in addition to investing broadly in apprenticeship programs across the board, Congress included my bipartisan amendment to expand access to computer science youth apprenticeship programs. These investments will provide more 21st century job opportunities for our kids, more qualified employees for our local employers, and more economic resiliency for our communities.
CSforALL is committed to high-quality computer science education for all K-12 students, including hands-on practical learning experiences such as career and technical education (CTE), internships, pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships. The tech industry and technology jobs are inherently dynamic,said Ruthe Farmer, Chief Evangelist, CSforALL. Apprenticeships enable students to engage with state-of-the-art technologies and develop job-ready skills that will prepare them for high-demand career pathways in technology the engine that drives innovation in virtually every sector of society. CSforALL strongly supports increased opportunities for practical training for youth in computer science and related disciplines including data science, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 94 percent of people who complete Registered Apprenticeships are employed upon completion, earning an average starting wage of above $70,000 annually. Yet, according to the most recent data, only 0.3 percent of the overall workforce in America have completed an apprenticeship.
During a time of record unemployment, the National Apprenticeships Acts of 2021 would mark the first time the National Apprenticeship system has been comprehensively updated since 1937. The bill also takes the critical first step of codifying into federal law youth and pre-apprenticeship programs, a measure that Rep. Kilmer has long supported through his own legislation the Compete for the Future Act. The Compete for the Future Act empowers the Department of Education, with the advice of the Department of Labor, to run a prize competition that would award eligible youth and pre-apprenticeship programs with investments to expand their programs and serve more students.
According to the House Committee on Education and Labor, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is expected to create nearly 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities on top of the current expected growth of the apprenticeship system. It is also expected to yield $10.6 billion in net benefits to U.S. taxpayers in the form of increased workers productivity and decreased spending on public-assistance programs and unemployment insurance.
By increasing investments in the national apprenticeship system, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 aims to begin to bring Americas investments in apprenticeships more in line with countries around the world. The U.S. spends only about 0.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on workforce training and employment programs, while peer industrialized nations spend roughly six times as much as a share of GDP.
The legislation aims to expand the nations workforce development system during our nations deepest economic decline since the Great Depression and increase diversity within the national apprenticeship system.
The legislation is endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), International Association of Iron Workers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Jobs for the Future (JFF), Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA), National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), National Skills Coalition (NSC), National Taskforce on Tradeswomens Issues (TWTF), North Americas Building Trades Unions (NABTU), National Urban League (NUL), and Third Way.
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Amendment to Boost Computer Science Apprenticeships Included in Apprenticeship Bill – masonwebtv.com
Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, which invests more than $3.5 billion over 5 years in expanding opportunities and access to Registered Apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships. The legislation included Representative Derek Kilmers (WA-06) bipartisan amendment to ensure computer science youth apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship programs are prioritized for funding through the comprehensive legislation.
We know that apprenticeship programs are one of the most effective paths to high quality, work-based learning in America. And in todays changing economy, its important to continue to find ways to prepare our kids for the jobs of the future jobs in advanced manufacturing, health care, technology, green jobs, and computer science, said Rep. Kilmer. Thats why Im proud that in addition to investing broadly in apprenticeship programs across the board, Congress included my bipartisan amendment to expand access to computer science youth apprenticeship programs. These investments will provide more 21st century job opportunities for our kids, more qualified employees for our local employers, and more economic resiliency for our communities.
CSforALL is committed to high-quality computer science education for all K-12 students, including hands-on practical learning experiences such as career and technical education (CTE), internships, pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships. The tech industry and technology jobs are inherently dynamic, said Ruthe Farmer, Chief Evangelist, CSforALL. Apprenticeships enable students to engage with state-of-the-art technologies and develop job-ready skills that will prepare them for high-demand career pathways in technology the engine that drives innovation in virtually every sector of society. CSforALL strongly supports increased opportunities for practical training for youth in computer science and related disciplines including data science, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 94 percent of people who complete Registered Apprenticeships are employed upon completion, earning an average starting wage of above $70,000 annually. Yet, according to the most recent data, only 0.3 percent of the overall workforce in America have completed an apprenticeship.
During a time of record unemployment, the National Apprenticeships Acts of 2021 would mark the first time the National Apprenticeship system has been comprehensively updated since 1937. The bill also takes the critical first step of codifying into federal law youth and pre-apprenticeship programs, a measure that Rep. Kilmer has long supported through his own legislation the Compete for the Future Act. The Compete for the Future Act empowers the Department of Education, with the advice of the Department of Labor, to run a prize competition that would award eligible youth and pre-apprenticeship programs with investments to expand their programs and serve more students.
According to the House Committee on Education and Labor, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is expected to create nearly 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities on top of the current expected growth of the apprenticeship system. It is also expected to yield $10.6 billion in net benefits to U.S. taxpayers in the form of increased workers productivity and decreased spending on public-assistance programs and unemployment insurance.
By increasing investments in the national apprenticeship system, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 aims to begin to bring Americas investments in apprenticeships more in line with countries around the world. The U.S. spends only about 0.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on workforce training and employment programs, while peer industrialized nations spend roughly six times as much as a share of GDP.
The legislation aims to expand the nations workforce development system during our nations deepest economic decline since the Great Depression and increase diversity within the national apprenticeship system.
The legislation is endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), International Association of Iron Workers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Jobs for the Future (JFF), Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA), National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), National Skills Coalition (NSC), National Taskforce on Tradeswomens Issues (TWTF), North Americas Building Trades Unions (NABTU), National Urban League (NUL), and Third Way.
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Amendment to Boost Computer Science Apprenticeships Included in Apprenticeship Bill - masonwebtv.com
Living an Algorithmic Life. The distinction between Computers and | by Jaskaran Singh Bhatia | The Startup | Feb, 2021 – Medium
Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
The distinction between Computers and Humans is not as striking as one would initially assume it is. We conventionally say that a computer is a dumb aggregate of semiconductor devices that cant think on its own, and were right in saying so. The common general purpose computer does have to be programmed before we can expect anything out of it it needs to be told what its tasks are, what its constraints are, what it will get from us in the form of an input, and what it needs to compute as the output. At a very high level, a computer is just a machine that maps inputs to outputs subject to some constraints. Humans, on the other hand, are complex emotional beings that have much more going on inside of them, right? We have the capability to think; we have what is called free will. We can make decisions for ourselves, and then act upon those decisions. We can sense whatevers going on around us, and then decide what it is that we want to do. Our speech, actions, gestures etc. basically all forms of ways we interact with our environment and the people around us are shaped by what we see, touch, hear, feel, then interpret and process. At a very high level, humans factor in their surroundings, and based on laws, norms, and various religious, personal, and societal conventions, they act.
Come to think of it, that sounds an awful lot like just mapping inputs to outputs subject to certain constraints. My point is, there may be numerous arguments to be made against the whole concept of comparing Man to Machine, but at the micro-level, everything we do boils down to a decision problem that is sometimes influenced by external factors. Our lives are made of the very problems that computers have been taught how to handle. If you analyse each activity, you will find a striking similarity between said activity and some aspect of the rather vast field of computer science.
Say youre sitting at your desk working on a paper for school. Your stomach makes the characteristic dying whale sound. This is an Interrupt. Youre hungry. Decision point: do you get a snack, or do you finish off your work first. Your mind (consciously or otherwise) weighs in the pros and cons. It is anticipating the outcome and wants to act in the way that would be most beneficial to you, much like a Lookahead mechanism thats implemented in various computer-y contexts. Eventually your brain does a cost-benefit analysis and says:
The analogy doesnt end here. When youve decided to move between tasks, you need to do a Context Switch. You need to save the current state of your process so that you can get back to it and start off where you left. Itll take you some time to get in the zone again when youre back, much like the overhead that a processor has to bear.
Say, then, that you decide to make a sandwich. You check if you have all the ingredients by Searching through your pantry. You realise youre missing some sauces so you decide to drive to the store. Upon reaching, you look at the store map and mentally plot the Shortest Path to the aisle that has the sauces. When you cant find what you need, you Query an employee and they return with exactly what you need. At the checkout, the cashier says Thanks for shopping with us. You say You too. Oops! Cache Miss these werent the words you were looking for.
When you reach home, you cant seem to find your keys. Your house is Encrypted. Thankfully you remember your neighbours have your spare key for Redundancy. You ring their bell but nobody answers. You knock, and call out their name. They come out and say they had to cut off the bell connection because the neighbourhood kids would ring the bell and run away. What you just experienced was the aftermath of a Denial of Service attack
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