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Creating Sustainable Careers in Information Technology
07 de Out de 2014
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What can the industry do to combat the widening IT skills gap? The Creating IT Futures Foundation offers lessons learned from its IT-Ready Apprentice program which is pioneering new methods in workforce development and bringing diverse populations into the IT workforce.
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1. Finding a Sustainable Career IN Information Technology: First-Year Results of the IT-Ready Apprentice Program
2. Executive Summary Despite the country's recent economic recession and associated unemployment, the information technology (IT) industry struggles to fill job vacancies because of a continuing shortage of qualified applicants. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that growth in IT-related positions will significantly outpace job growth in other fields. These IT positions promise family-sustaining wages and upwardly mobile career paths. To help address the IT worker shortage, the Creating IT Futures Foundation — the philanthropic arm of CompTIA — launched in 2012 an intensive training and job placement program called the IT-Ready Apprentice Program in two pilot cities. At the end of the program's inaugural year, 72 percent of IT-Ready graduates were working full time in IT-related positions — a higher-than-average job placement rate for sector-based workforce development programs. This white paper examines career opportunities available in the IT industry, the need for IT As the United States continues to crawl out of its economic doldrums, companies have struggled to recruit work-ready information technology (IT) employees when they need them, whether it's to replace those who leave or to augment their workforce as their business grows. Ever since the Great Recession of 2008, when unemployment for all sectors topped out at about 10 percent in October 2009 and has only improved to 7.5 percent as of April 20131 [fig. 1], unemployment of IT professionals was 5.2 percent at its worst. It is clear that while the overall economic uptick in the United States continues to be described as a jobless recovery2, the IT field represents opportunity for job-seekers, as companies must still hire individuals to deploy and maintain the technology that has enabled labor savings in other areas of their businesses. In raw numbers, according to Indeed.com, the IT industry had more than 250,000 openings as of January 2013, placing the IT industry third among all industries on Indeed for unfilled jobs.3 The Need for More Skilled IT Workers Much has been written about the skills gap in technology, the assertion that high school and even college graduates lack the technical and soft skills necessary to hit the ground running in a 21st-century, tech-focused career. Most policymakers agree that the nation's education system has not responded to changes in job 1 workforce development programs, challenges facing existing programs, the rationale for the structure of the IT-Ready Apprentice Program, and the success of and lessons learned from the program's inaugural year. According to Indeed.com, the IT industry had more than 250,000 openings as of January 2013. [fig. 1] Percentage of Americans unemployed since the Great Recession of 2008 10 8 6 4 1/08 1/09 1/10 1/11 1/12 1/13 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
3. requirements demanded by major employers. Take, for example, the changed landscape of manufacturing, traditionally a dependable go-to industry for workers at all educational levels, from high school dropout through graduate degree. Whereas a significant percentage of U.S. jobs were still manufacturing-based in 1980 (20 percent, down from 30 percent in 1950), as of 2012, manufacturing jobs made up just 9 percent of the workforce.4-5 Low-skill manufacturing jobs have largely moved overseas; the manufacturing jobs that remain involve a higher degree of technical savvy and require more agile on-the-job thinking. But the increased focus on standardized testing in basic math and reading skills through the "No Child Left Behind" Act has only accentuated the disconnect between what and how students learn and the high-level skills employers say they need most from workers. Among the skills employers seek: Critical thinking and problem-solving, initiative and entrepreneurism, and curiosity and imagination6, skills that arguably are overlooked as schools teach to standardized tests. Even after an employee is hired, the fast pace of technological innovation makes it difficult for employees to keep up with the changes. Employers naturally struggle to provide the continuing education and professional development that their employees require. Lately there has been a "gap-lash" by those who downplay or even argue away the existence of a skills gap in IT. These critics instead blame the tech worker shortage on companies refusing to raise compensation levels, being unwilling to train workers, or resisting an overhaul of their methods for recruiting workers. In reality, the solution is not so simple. In terms of U.S. salaries, global sourcing of IT labor — which is available to any company's competitors — is mostly to blame for keeping wages down. Similarly, high worker turnover makes large investments in training extremely risky, as a company realistically fears it will end up training its competitor's next star employee on its own dime. Finally, employers have tried a number of different strategies to recruit qualified workers, with little sustainable success. As one IT services company CEO put it at a forum on the IT workforce, when it comes to finding work-ready IT professionals, "Everyone is fishing from the same pond. We need to substantially increase the number of fish in the pond."7 Despite intriguing attempts to explain away an IT skills gap, most employers and workforce development organizations maintain a gap exists8 and that the gap is likely to remain a stubborn reality for the foreseeable future. How have companies coped? For businesses that can prove a lack of home-grown talent, the H-1B visa program allows talent to be imported from abroad. The other popular response has been to lure workers from other companies with slightly improved pay, work hours and/or benefit packages, only to see those employees jump ship when something better comes along. Other Fields Become a Source of Workers While IT struggles to find workers, other more traditional work fields offer fewer opportunities than they once did. Layoffs, plant closings and decreased labor due to offshoring and automation have resulted in more than 7 million unemployed individuals in the United States (as of January 2013). The retail, manufacturing, food service, and construction fields have seen unemployment levels very near to well above the national average; together, just these four sectors make up more than half of the unemployed in America.9 Furthermore, there is a growing underemployed population — sometimes referred to as the working poor. These are individuals who are unable to save for retirement, can't afford health insurance, and otherwise just can't get ahead. According to Wider Opportunities for Women, 37 percent of men, 42 percent of women and 55 percent of children lack economic security [fig. 2] as defined by the Basic Economic Security TablesTM (BEST) Index. Again, the problem isn't just unemployment, as those who find themselves in economic insecurity work an average of 37 hours per week. Single mothers are especially likely to lack economic security, at 74 percent of all single mothers, compared to 49 percent of all single fathers. Numbers for single African-American and single Hispanic mothers climb even higher, to 80 percent and 85 percent, respectively.10 [fig. 2] Percentage of Americans who lack economic security 37% 42% Men 55% Women Children To these numbers of struggling U.S. workers should also be added the number of individuals who drop out of the workforce entirely, a phenomenon that is being manifested by increasingly younger individuals. The U.S. workforce as of March 2013 stood at 63.3 percent of the population, the lowest percentage since 1979.11 The number of workers ages 20 to 24 also hit a 41-year low. These workforce dropouts are not counted in monthly unemployment figures, casting an invisible shadow over work statistics. 2 The U.S. workforce as of March 2013 stood at 63.3 percent of the population, the lowest percentage since 1979. The number of workers ages 20 to 24 also hit a 41-year low. "Everyone is fishing from the same pond. We need to substantially increase the number of fish in the pond."
4. The information technology field, besides offering low unemployment rates and being a source of available jobs, offers a future as well. The availability of skills-based certifications of increasing complexity helps an IT worker plot a career path that includes upward mobility. For example, a service/help-desk career pathway begins with three tiers of help desk/desktop support roles and leads to analyst, technician, administrator and manager occupations. Starting as a tier I help-desk support professional, the employee can move to tier II and then tier III, or move laterally to desktop support analyst or PC technician [fig. 3]. From there, an employee can become a systems administrator or a manager of technical support services. On the network administration career pathway, a worker can move up to network administrator and then network manager. From these positions, with added Network Manager Salary Potential: $116,426 training and certifications, the employee can move on to roles such as information security analyst and information security administrator. And, relatively speaking, even with globalization pressing down on wages, jobs in the IT industry pay better than many other industries: Computer support specialists in 2012 earned a mean annual wage of $53,230. Database and systems administrators and network architects earned upwards of $80,000, with software developers and programmers topping $90,000 annually12 [fig. 4]. Will opportunities in the IT field continue to grow? According to predictions by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the answer is yes. The agency estimates that more than 750,000 new core IT positions will be created between 2010 and 2020.13 The bureau [fig. 4] IT industry jobs pay better than many other industries Computer Support Specialists Mean Annual Wage: $53,230 Database and Systems Administrators and Network Architects Mean Annual Wage: almost $80,000 Software Developers and Programmers Mean Annual Wage: over $90,000 3 Service/Help Desk Career Pathway TIER I Help Desk Support Professional Salary Potential: $47,680 TIER I Help Desk Support Professional Salary Potential: $56,562 TIER II Help Desk Support Professional Salary Potential: $59,983 Desktop Support Analyst Salary Potential: $58,246 Systems Administrator Salary Potential: $77,756 PC Technician Salary Potential: $49,300 Manager of Technical Support Services Salary Potential: $60,283 [fig. 3] Career Pathways in Information Technology Information Security Analyst Salary Potential: $97,053 Information Security Administrator Salary Potential: $83,482 Network Administration Career Pathway Network Administrator Salary Potential: $67,339 The information technology field, besides offering low unemployment rates and being a source of available jobs, offers a future as well. The availability of skills-based certifications of increasing complexity helps an IT worker plot a career path that includes upward mobility.
5. anticipates 22-percent growth in all computer-related jobs during that time, compared to 14-percent growth in all other fields14 [fig. 5]. Indeed, the dearth of work-ready IT professionals combined with a workforce glut in other fields begs for a solution that private corporations and the country's education system currently aren't providing. What would it take to transition adult workers from other fields into IT quickly, efficiently and effectively? In 2012, after more than a year of study, the Creating IT Futures Foundation (the philanthropic arm of CompTIA) launched the IT-Ready Apprentice Program to help address the IT skills gap and worker shortage with motivated adults seeking upwardly mobile, family-sustaining work. About the Creating IT Futures Foundation The Creating IT Futures Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) charity in 1998 by CompTIA, the world's largest IT industry association. Based in CompTIA's headquarters in Downers Grove, IL, Creating IT Futures has a mission of helping populations under-represented in IT — as well as individuals who are lacking in opportunity — to prepare for, secure and be successful in IT careers. Staff work to invent better on ramps to IT careers, then look for the best way to collaborate with other organizations to scale solutions toward significant outcomes on a national scale. Before the introduction of IT-Ready, the workforce development program maintained by Creating IT Futures incorporated a mainly online education model. While appropriate for some individuals who were able to springboard into their first paid IT role, the program failed to lead to IT work for most participants for a variety of reasons. The program's online curriculum — which a majority of participants failed to complete — lacked any coaching in job-seeking skills. It also was missing an employer component, and many participants who wanted to work locally lived in rural areas where IT jobs were scarce. Despite a number of success stories among those who completed the online program, Creating IT Futures began seeking in 2010 a more reliable way for its program participants to graduate with a firm foothold in the IT field. A Solution in Search of a Model As Creating IT Futures learned after researching workforce programs nationally, identifying best practices for preparing people for IT jobs and careers is no easy task. The obstacles to success are many, including: • Most workforce development programs do not take a high-skilled, sector-based approach, much less an IT-sector-based approach, even though data shows sector-based programs have higher rates of success than more generalized workforce programs.15 • Many college graduates in IT lack professional soft skills — such as communication skills, conflict management, and customer service skills — that are just as in demand by businesses as the technical piece.16 • 64 percent of youth mistakenly believe every job in IT requires being very good at math and science, while a majority admit to knowing very little about IT at all17— perceptions that can persist well into the adult worker population. • Women and people from ethnic/racial minority groups often fail to see themselves in an IT role. Women make up 46 percent of the total workforce, but hold only 24 percent of jobs in technical or STEM fields18 [fig. 6]. In 2010, African- Americans and Latinos together comprised 26 percent of the total workforce, but only accounted for about 12 percent of the IT workforce19 [fig. 7]. 4 Many college graduates in IT lack professional soft skills — such as communication skills, conflict management, and customer service skills — that are just as in demand by businesses as the technical piece. [fig. 5] Projected Changes in IT Occupation Growth: 2010-2020 22% Computer Occupations (NET) 31% Database Administrators 14% All Occupations 28% Network and Computer System Administrators 22% Computer Systems Analysts 30% Software Developers 22% Information Security Analysts, Web Developers and Computer Network Architects 18% Computer Support Specialists 12% Computer Programmers 19% Computer and Information Research Scientists
6. • Veterans often have difficulty figuring out how their technical experience in the military can be parlayed into a civilian job. • Employers often place a high premium on on-the-job experience over classroom training, making it difficult for newly trained workers to get a foot in the door. • Certifications could be helpful to many who are looking to gain a foothold in IT, but the overwhelming message is to pursue a degree — a daunting and expensive proposition for many who are capable of learning the necessary skills outside of a traditional degree program. • Disabled workers may be unaware that IT can be a line of work at which they can succeed. As a result of these obstacles and others, workforce development programs focused on IT jobs have struggled on a number of fronts. Concentrated training of a week or two may result in a successful score on a certification exam, but it may not produce a worker trained in the full technical and people skills necessary for a successful employment interview, much less a full-time job. Furthermore, programs that could help a large number of people have difficulty recruiting participants due to stereotypes and myths about the IT field. Perhaps most challenging of all, many — if not most — traditional workforce training programs fail to include a job-placement or on-the-job experience component in their models, instead producing trained individuals with no subsequent employment path. As Creating IT Futures staff researched best practices, it became increasingly evident that a job training program must also operate as a job placement program to be successful. The IT-Ready Apprentice Program Is Born After consulting with IT workforce training programs around the country, assembling a list of best practices, and speaking with employers — primarily CEOs, HR officials, and IT department heads — Creating IT Futures designed a model for IT job training and placement that included the following high-level approaches to solving the IT worker shortage problem: 1. The content of the training would be based on what employers say they look for in a successful entry-level IT employee. 2. The program would be more than a training program; it would also be an employer-centered, job-placement program, meaning that soft skills and on-the-job experience would be of paramount importance. Every effort would be made to recruit employers so that IT-Ready graduates would have interviews available at the end of their training. 3. For the sake of the pilot, recruitment for the program would take a broad approach—targeting unemployed and underemployed persons with an effort to identify within that applicant pool candidates who also were veterans and/or ethnic minorities. 5 Women in the workforce 46% total African-Americans and Latinos in the workforce 26% total Only 24% in IT Only 12% in IT As staff researched best practices, it became increasingly evident that a job training program must also operate as a job placement program to be successful. The program would be more than a training program; it would also be an employer-centered, job-placement program, meaning that soft skills and on-the-job experience would be of paramount importance. [figs. 6 & 7]
7. 4. The program would require participants to have a GED or high school diploma and use several screening tools to measure their literacy and basic math abilities. By doing this, the program would enlist individuals who had a better chance of success on the job even if they lacked previous significant experience with computers. 5. The program's duration would include enough time to initiate those new to IT, but recognize that those who are unemployed can least afford to spend time in a training program. As a result, eight weeks of full-time, in-person, instructor-led training was identified as an ambitious yet reasonable amount of time to provide participants with the proper skill set for their first entry-level IT position. 6. The program would hold CompTIA A+ certification as evidence of skills mastery — and a requirement for candidates interviewing for apprenticeships. CompTIA industry surveys indicate that 86 percent of hiring IT managers in the United States rank IT certifications as a high or medium priority in their hiring decisions, with 64 percent of hiring IT managers indicating that such certifications have high value on the job.20 7. The program would make a six-month apprenticeship a key component, as employers cited on-the-job experience as one of the top criteria for being hired. 8. For the sake of future scalability, the program set a goal of keeping costs below $6,000 per student. 9. The pilot version of the program would be considered a true experiment. Therefore, any misstep wasn't a failure but, rather, an opportunity to learn something new about IT workforce development. The following program features became part and parcel of the IT-Ready Apprentice Program model: 1. Recruitment of Applicants. The URL www.ITready.com was purchased and pointed to a section of the Creating IT Futures Foundation website (www.creatingITfutures.org) that held program information as well as an online application that can be completed in fewer than 15 minutes. Prospective applicants were informed that the program was free, did not include a cash stipend, and required a full-time commitment to eight weeks of training. Enrollment was contingent on the applicant's willingness to engage in a six-month paid, full-time apprenticeship post-training. 2. Applicant Screening. Upon their initial qualification, applicants participated in a phone interview so program staff could gauge their motivation and interest. Highly motivated and interested applicants were asked to complete an online Workplace Personality Inventory (WPI) assessment and online Basic Computer Literacy Assessment. Upon successfully passing these assessments, applicants came to the IT-Ready office for written testing in reading and math using the Test for Adult Basic EducationTM (TABE), having to score at least at the 10th-grade level. Those who passed were granted a face-to-face interview on the spot, in which they were asked detailed questions about their interest and any barriers to training. Due to reasons of Internet security and other reasons, many employers refuse to hire for their IT departments people convicted of crimes. For that reason, a criminal background check was performed on individuals who passed the interview stage, and those who were free of felony convictions and misdemeanor theft or battery convictions were invited to enroll in the program. 3. Instruction. The program set a limit of 25 students per classroom, each of which had a single instructor. Enrolled participants were required to be on time every day (only two excused tardies, one missed day) and dress appropriately (business casual, absolutely no tennis shoes) for a maximum of 40 days of instruction (8 weeks x 5 days per week). Class started at 9 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m., although students could remain until 5 p.m. to work with the instructor or help each other study. In class, each student was given the use of a desktop computer with a Windows 7 or newer operating system. Technical aspects of the curriculum were tailored toward the CompTIA A+ exam and included operating system installation and upgrading, installing and imaging 6
8. virtual machines, data storage, peripheral devices, safety and maintenance, assembly and disassembly of hardware, computer networks, Internet security, and troubleshooting. Approximately 20 percent of instruction focused on professional and soft skills. Soft skill training included communication skills, interview skills complete with mock interviews, time management, conflict resolution, customer service, and creative problem-solving. 4. Mentoring. Each student was paired with a mentor who is deeply embedded in an IT career. Mentors hailed from all over the country and even internationally. Mentoring was done by email or phone, although a few mentors were located in the same city as their IT-Ready mentees. In addition, Global Mentoring was contracted to provide 24/7 support to IT-Ready participants on classroom learning materials during the eight weeks of instruction. 5. Certification Exam(s). IT-Ready students were required to take the CompTIA A+ certification exams (701 and 702) within a week of graduating from the program. They received free exam vouchers and were allowed to retake the exams one time at no cost. Further attempts would be paid for by the student. 6. Job placement / apprenticeship. Employers report that job candidates with work experience have a much higher chance of being hired for permanent positions than do candidates with training or education alone. IT-Ready students who passed their certification exams were eligible to interview with companies providing a six-month apprenticeship paying up to $15/hour. Apprentices were effectively employees of their company, either on a temporary, contract, or, in some cases, full-time permanent basis. IT-Ready staff remained in touch with apprentices and company representatives to ensure all went smoothly and to provide advice to apprentices if necessary. 7. Continuing education. IT-Ready graduates were invited to use free online training and testing vouchers for other CompTIA certifications — including Network+, Server+ and Security+ — if they accessed these resources within six months of becoming A+ certified. Individuals were given 90 days to complete training upon enrolling in a certification training module. Program Launch In Spring 2012, the Creating IT Futures Foundation launched the IT-Ready Apprentice Program model in two pilot locations — Cincinnati and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Both sites were chosen for the number of IT jobs being created in each area; the relative shortage of nonprofit IT training programs; populations that were seeking work; and the strength of the local philanthropic community. A spring class and a fall class were convened in each location. A third site, Columbus, was launched in Fall 2012 in conjunction with another non-profit organization, Per Scholas. This collaboration is ongoing; the results of the first year of partnership are being collected and will be reported separately. This paper focuses on the results from Cincinnati and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Creating IT Futures staffed the program as follows: • A full-time, on-site Manager for each location. This individual's role was to network with agencies that could refer applicants to IT-Ready; develop possible funding relationships; supervise the Career Placement Specialist, instructor, and other vendors; and oversee the students' learning during the eight-week class period. For most of 2012, this position went unstaffed in Cincinnati. Instead, Creating IT Futures' Senior Manager of National Workforce Programs managed the Cincinnati site, working from Illinois and making monthly visits. • A single Instructor was hired for each site on a contract basis for the course's eight-week duration. Due to favorable outcomes in the spring, the same instructors were hired for the fall term. • A Career Placement Specialist was hired for each site on a part-time contract basis. The role of this individual was to recruit employers who would interview IT-Ready graduates for apprenticeship positions. • Supervision of the IT-Ready program and program staff was performed by the Senior Manager of National Workforce Programs, based at Creating IT Futures Foundation headquarters in Downers Grove, IL. Periodic support was provided by other Foundation staff in the areas of operations, marketing, fundraising and recruiting. The Foundation hosted kick-off celebrations in both locations with local press, nonprofits, and other stakeholders in attendance. 7 Each student was paired up with a mentor who is deeply embedded in an IT career.
9. The events were held in Minneapolis./St. Paul at the annual Spring conference of the Minnesota High Tech Association on April 25, 2012, and in Cincinnati at the Great American Ballpark on April 30, 2012. A press tour in both cities conducted by the Foundation's Executive Director attracted media coverage of the launch. 2012 IT-Ready Apprentice Program Results Two classes were convened in each of the two locations in 2012, for a total of four classes. The total number of applicants in 2012 was 1,066, an average of 267 per class. A number of factors disqualified applicants. In many cases, applicants had IT jobs already and simply were looking for a different job. Some lived beyond a 50-mile radius of the class. Others were in school already or over-qualified by having advanced degrees. About 10 percent of the applicants were invited to move forward in the selection process; ultimately, about 6 percent did. Of those, 85 percent completed the phone interview and online assessment, of whom 90 percent passed and moved forward to in-person testing/interview. About 90 percent of the candidates who tested in person passed their examinations, interviews and criminal background checks, and were invited to enroll. In 2012, IT-Ready enrolled 62 individuals, of whom 82 percent were classified as unemployed and 18 percent under-employed [fig. 8]. The average age was 35 and the average class size was 16 students. The race and gender demo-graphic breakdown was as follows: Female: 24 percent; Male: 76 percent [fig. 9] Military veterans: 13 percent [fig. 10] n African-American: 18 percent n American Indian: 2 percent n Asian: 10 percent n Caucasian: 63 percent n Hispanic: 3 percent n Other Race: 4 percent [fig. 11] Program Graduates 94% Completing the IT-Ready classroom curriculum earned a participant a graduation certificate. Not all IT-Ready graduates leapt the hurdle of CompTIA A+ certification, a pre-requisite for an apprenticeship. Of the 62 students who started the program, 58 (94 percent) completed the program, with 52 (90 percent) obtaining their CompTIA A+ certification [fig. 12]. Certification was the primary qualification for being offered an apprenticeship interview: 48 certified individuals (representing 83 percent of all graduates) were invited for an interview [fig. 13], and 44 (76 percent) accepted. In the end, 42 IT-Ready graduates (72 percent) were offered and accepted full-time apprenticeship positions within four months of completing the program—a higher-than-average job-placement rate for sector-based workforce development programs, which stands at 65 percent nationally [fig. 14].21 Apprentice performance is being tracked to measure how many individuals complete their six-month apprenticeships and remain employed in the IT field. As of now (June 2013), only two graduates have left their apprenticeship positions without completing them, and all but one graduate completing an apprenticeship remain employed in IT. Notably, most graduates were permanently hired by the same organization that granted them the apprenticeship. Dropout/Removal Rate There was a relatively low dropout/removal rate: A total of 4 individuals (6 percent) did not complete the program. Those who voluntarily dropped out of the program (two individuals, or 3 percent) stated that the program was a poor fit. Two individuals (3 percent) were removed from the program by staff because of poor attendance. There were 4 graduates (7 percent) who were certified but did not interview for apprenticeships. One deferred for personal reasons and another due to living too far from prospective employers. Program staff determined that two individuals lacked professional skills meeting IT-Ready standards and denied them interviews. An additional 4 IT-Ready graduates (7 percent) were offered interviews but did not attend them; of the 4, two declined to interview for unknown reasons and the other two missed their interviews. 8 [fig. 12] Graduates Graduates with CompTIA A+ Certification 90% [fig. 13] Apprenticeship Interviews Certified Graduates Invited for Interviews 83% [fig. 14] Job Placement within 4 months IT-Ready Graduates National Average (sector-based programs) 65% 72% SELECT 2012 IT-Ready Statistics 18% Under-employed 82% Unemployed [fig. 8] 24% Female 76% Male [fig. 9] 13% Military Veterans [fig. 10] [fig. 1 1]
10. All graduates who interviewed (44 individuals, or 76 percent) were offered apprenticeship positions, but 2 graduates (4 percent) declined the positions. One found a full-time bank position closer to home; the other felt a hearing disability would make it difficult to successfully perform the role offered. As of June 2013, only members of the Spring 2012 cohort had had time to complete their six-month apprenticeships. Of these individuals who accepted apprenticeships, 95 percent (18 of 19) successfully completed their apprenticeships and 89 percent (17 of 19) were still working in the IT field after apprenticeships. This is a high percentage compared to the 67 percent average retention rate of sector-based placement programs.22 Tracking of the Fall 2012 cohort suggests that this group's six-month-out numbers also will track much higher than average. Participant satisfaction was high. A follow-up survey of Spring 2012 IT-Ready graduates found that 92 percent of respondents felt either "very supported" or "extremely supported" by IT-Ready staff during their apprenticeship appointment.23 Feedback on all aspects of IT-Ready included these comments: "You learn so much. Every day you have the chance to practice... your customer service skills along with your technical skills." "Gaining certification was crucial to obtaining [a] permanent position." "The focus on the participant has been great." "The amount of communication that tends to keep us informed, and the constant feedback about our progress shows concern and involvement in our success." "Their positive and encouraging attitude. They are serious about finding an internship for all participants." "The amount of training available after the A+. I have finished my Network+, I'm working on Server+ and plan on taking the Security+ soon." "The program has been positive for me by giving me training and helping me find my first job after the training." "Soft skills. This was the most beneficial to me." "Everything has been great and I wouldn't change a thing." "The program gave me the knowledge to enter the IT field and the apprenticeship gave me the experience I desperately needed to get started in this career field." "I really enjoyed the people I have met and the connections I have made. Keep doing what you're doing." The survey of Spring 2012 graduates also found: • 66 percent reported that their apprenticeship experiences were "very relevant" or "extremely relevant" in strengthening their professional expertise. • 50 percent of respondents believe their apprenticeships have already led to meaningful employment, while another 42 percent expect them to. • 75 percent of respondents felt "very supported" or "extremely supported" by their supervisor at their apprenticeship location. • 100 percent of respondents would be willing to participate in an alumni program. Employer satisfaction was high. IT-Ready Apprentices were brought on by a total of 12 employers in 2012. In Minnesota, the companies were Covidien, GED Testing Services, HealthPartners, Medica, Medtronic, Pearson VUE, SecureConnect, TEKSystems, and Virteva. In Ohio, the companies were Ascendum, MTCI, Pomeroy, and Tata Consultancy Services. Some of the participating businesses were IT contractors who deployed apprentices to job sites with a number of recognizable, high-profile clients, such as 3M (in Minnesota) and Fifth Third Bank (in Ohio). Feedback from industry employers included these comments: "IT-Ready gave us access to low-risk, highly vetted applicants usually only found by accident." 9 "The program gave me the knowledge to enter the IT field and the apprenticeship gave me the experience I desperately needed to get started in this career field."
11. "It's a win-win for us. It's a partnership... We chose to hire them as full-time benefited employers rather than apprentices. That spoke, I think, to the program itself." "IT-Ready has given us an advantage, to the one percent of the one percent we are looking for." Lessons Learned A number of aspects of IT-Ready went as planned, while others showed a need for change. Clear positives that stood out for the IT-Ready program in 2012 included the following: 1) Face-to-face training allowed staff to build camaraderie among students, to foster communication skills, to offer words of encouragement at the right time, to evaluate the soft skills of participants and make corrections, and to come to know personalities in order to make good matches with employers. All of these are functions that online training has trouble reproducing. 2) Building self-confidence and self-efficacy was critical to individual success. Many students initially expressed misgivings, uncertainties, and doubts about their ability to transition into IT. Success on the certification exam gave students confidence heading into interviews, which usually resulted in an offer of an apprenticeship or a permanent job. 3) Most participants rose to the challenge of the program's disciplined structure and rigorous course material. Despite most participants coming into the program without IT job or recent classroom experience, the program prepared them for their first IT role. 4) Eight weeks for training was, on the whole, sufficient for a population that already had some work experience (IT-related or not). A longer program is likely necessary for individuals preparing for their first significant job role. 5) The rigor of the program required each student to take ownership of his or her own IT education, emphasizing the kind of personal responsibility necessary to land and keep a professional job. "A hand up, not a hand out" was the mantra of staff who enforced a strict dress code, attendance and behavior policy. The working world makes few allowances and won't put up with excuses. IT-Ready shouldn't either. Several opportunities for improvement were encountered during the pilot year: • It proved challenging to generate a large number of applications from specific groups under-represented in IT, such as military veterans, women, and minorities. In response, IT-Ready will have to find ways to reach out in a more targeted manner to these constituencies. • Applicants had technical difficulty accessing the online computer literacy assessment. The download process presented by the vendor was convoluted. Because nearly everyone who passed the Workplace Personality Inventory (WPI) also passed the computer literacy assessment, it was decided to drop the computer literacy testing portion altogether beginning in 2013, relying on the WPI as the single online screening tool for the application process. • Some students and mentors struggled in their relationships. Although 90 percent of mentors stated in the Spring 2012 survey that they had a "very positive" experience, 50 percent of mentee respondents stated that they "did not feel supported at all" or felt only "slightly supported" by mentors. Program staff are following up more frequently to make sure mentors and mentees connect early in the class term, receive good background information on each other, and build a beneficial relationship over the course of the class. • A small number of students failed to take certification tests in a timely manner or at all. Those who waited too long to test were more likely to perform poorly. As a result, the program now requires certification testing in the last week of the course. • Failure to attract a minimum of $15 per hour for all apprentices. The going rate of pay for entry-level IT positions was generally lower in Cincinnati than it was in Minneapolis / St. Paul, with a few IT-Ready Cincinnati graduates accepting 10 It proved challenging to generate a large number of applications from specific groups under-represented in IT, such as military veterans, women, and minorities. In response, IT-Ready will have to find ways to reach out in a more targeted manner to these constituencies.
12. apprenticeships that paid as low as $11 per hour in the Spring 2012 cohort and $10 per hour in the Minneapolis / St. Paul Fall 2012 cohort. Starting hourly pay was as high as $17 in a few cases and mode pay was $15, but IT-Ready leadership concluded that a firm $15 requirement of employers was unsupportable, especially in Cincinnati. The primary value of the apprenticeship is not earning power; instead, it's on-the-job experience for the worker's resume — a first step toward permanent employment and an upwardly mobile career in IT. IT-Ready graduates as a whole were delighted to be offered an apprenticeship, even if it paid lower than originally expected. The primary value of the apprenticeship is not earning power; instead, it's on-the-job experience for the worker's resume — a first step toward permanent employment and an upwardly mobile career in IT. • A block in the pipeline of employers in Cincinnati. In Fall 2012, recruitment of new employers in Cincinnati stalled, while the list grew in Minnesota. A direct mail campaign with follow-up phone calls was executed in Cincinnati in May 2013. • Poor initial outreach with stakeholders in the site cities. IT-Ready struggled to get to know other nonprofit organizations that could provide a steady stream of applicants to the program. Building such relationships and name recognition in a community will take time, possibly years. Conclusion Based on initial results from the first four IT-Ready classes in the two pilot locations, the program is a successful model for helping individuals succeed in their first paid role in the IT field. Maintaining a placement rate of 72 percent of graduates is a good rate of success for sector-based workforce development programs — the national average is 65 percent — and numbers are tracking much higher than average for retention rates (currently 89 percent, compared to an average retention rate of 67 percent for sector-based programs). Most IT-Ready graduates have a work background outside of IT. As a result, the program has the potential to increase the pool of workers available to an industry that reports shortages and has difficulty recruiting individuals with necessary skills. In 2013, the Creating IT Futures Foundation is refining the IT-Ready Apprentice Program model in a number of ways. Included in these improvements: An online career mapping tool for people contemplating applying to IT-Ready, as well as programming for alumni to keep them engaged for the long term. Many participants and graduates have expressed an interest in giving back to the program and their communities, so we are identifying ways to channel this energy for the benefit of future classes. In addition, Creating IT Futures is designing related programs to establish a continuum of IT workforce development. That research and development effort, called IT-Ready Labs, is now studying the following initiative proposals: • IT-Ready Youth: An initiative to bring more young people into relevant education and training for IT careers. • IT-Ready Boot Camp: Participants learn the skills needed to be successful in IT-Ready before applying. They can brush up on their basic math and reading skills, learn valuable communication skills, tackle IT jargon, increase basic computer skills, and identify career pathways in IT. • IT-Ready 2.0: A resource for unemployed workers with IT degrees or certifications who need coaching on resumes, interviewing, and other soft skills taught in the IT-Ready Apprentice Program. Program staff are working to document all aspects of the IT-Ready Apprentice Program model for use by third parties, and the IT-Ready model has already been deployed in Columbus, Ohio, by Bronx-based Per Scholas, with plans to deploy IT-Ready in several more locations over the next four years. Future reports will spotlight the success of this collaboration, as well as the long-term success rates of IT-Ready apprentices in moving up the IT career ladder. 11 Based on initial results from the first four IT-Ready classes in the two pilot locations, the program is a successful model for helping individuals succeed in their first paid role in the IT field.
13. 12 Endnotes: 1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, on the Internet at http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 (visited 21 June 2013). 2 Blinder, Alan. "Fiscal Fixes for the Jobless Recovery." Wall Street Journal 10 June 2013, on the Internet at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 4127887323844804578531500445324348.html (visited 11 June 2013). 3 "The Value of IT Certifications," a white paper published by CompTIA in March 2013 and accessible by the association's members through the CompTIA website at http://www.comptia.org/research.aspx. 4 "Maybe it isn't China." The Economist 23 August 2010. On the Internet at http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2010/08/ manufacturing (visited 21 June 2013). 5 National Association of Manufacturers. "Facts About Manufacturing in the United States." Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012), with estimate of total employment supported by manufacturing calculated by NAM using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2011). On the Internet at http://www.nam.org/Statistics-And-Data/ Facts-About-Manufacturing/Landing.aspx (visited 21 June 2013). 6 Wagner, Tony. The Global Achievement Gap. New York: Basic Books, 2008. Print. 7 "The Qualities of Job-Ready IT Graduates." Creating IT Futures Blog. 21 March 2013. On the Internet at http://www.creatingitfutures.org/ blog/13-03-21/The_Qualities_of_Job-Ready_IT_Graduates.aspx (visited 21 June 2013). 8 "State of the IT Skills Gap," a white paper published by CompTIA in February 2012 and accessible by the association's members through the CompTIA website at http://www.comptia.org/research.aspx. 9 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, A-31. Unemployed persons by industry, class of worker, and sex. May 2012 and May 2013. On the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/ cpseea31.htm (visited 21 June 2013). 10 "Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and America's Families: 2011." A Project of Wider Opportunities for Women's Family Economic Security Program. On the Internet at: http://www.wowonline.org/ documents/WOWUSBESTLivingBelowtheLine2011.pdf (visited 21 June 2013). 11 Wiseman, Paul. "U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate Lowest Since 1979." Huffington Post 6 April 2013. On the Internet at http:// www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/06/labor-force-participation-rate_ n_3028135.html (visited 21 June 2013). 12 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2012. On the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.t01.htm (visited 21 June 2013). 13 "The Value of IT Certifications." 14 "Youth Opinions of Careers in Information Technology (IT)," a white paper published by CompTIA in March 2013 and accessible by the association's members through the CompTIA website at http://www.comptia.org/research.aspx. 15 Clymer, Carol; Sheila Maguire; Marty Miles; Stacy Woodruff-Bolte. "Putting Data to Work: Interim Recommendations From the Benchmarking Project." Public/Private Ventures. 17 Nov 2010. On the Internet at http://www.issuelab.org/resource/putting_data_to_ work_interim_recommendations_from_the_benchmarking_project (visited 21 June 2013). 16 Schultz, Nick. "Hard Unemployment Truths about 'Soft' Skills." Wall Street Journal 19 Sept 2012. On the Internet at http://online.wsj.com/ article/SB10000872396390444517304577653383308386956.html (visited on 21 June 2013). 17 "Youth Opinions of Careers in Information Technology (IT)." 18 Beede, David. "Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation." U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration. Issue Brief #04-11. August 2011. On the Internet at http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/reports/documents/ womeninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf (visited on 21 June 2013). 19 Swift, Mike. "Blacks, Latinos and Women Lose Ground at Silicon Valley Tech Companies." San Jose Mercury News 13 Feb 2010. On the Internet at http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14383730 (visited on 21 June 2013). 20 "The Value of IT Certifications." 21 "Putting Data to Work." 22 "Putting Data to Work." 23 Barbara Grant Consulting Group. "Creating Futures and Transforming Lives: Spring 2012 IT-Ready Program Summary." An independent study commissioned by Creating IT Futures Foundation and published in March 2013. On the Internet at http://www.creatingitfutures.org/ Libraries/Reports/IT_Ready_Spring_2012_Program_Summary_ Final.sflb.ashx (visited 10 July 2013).
14. www.ITReady.com
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Jessica Scott 19 de Dez de 2021


Lee, Soo Young. 2014. Dissecting Molecular Mechanisms of Shigella flexneri Cell-to-cell Spread. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University.
Shigella is a causative agent of bacillary dysentery in humans. The ability of Shigella to disseminate in the intestinal epithelium is crucial for disease establishment. This process of cell-to-cell spread involves actin-based motility, which allows movement of Shigella through the cytoplasm, and the ability of Shigella to form filopodia-like membrane protrusions that are engulfed by adjacent cells.
Compared to the process of Shigella actin tail assembly, which requires recruitment and activation of host actin modulators such as N-WASP and Arp2/3, the mechanism of how Shigella moves from an infected cell into neighboring cells and what host factors are involved remain poorly characterized. In this dissertation, I investigate whether members of the Ena/VASP family, as key actin regulators, or Inverse-BAR (I-BAR) family proteins, as coordinators of membrane curvature and actin dynamics, are required in dissemination of S. flexneri in a cell monolayer.
Ena/VASP family proteins regulate cell migration, adhesion, shape, and cell-cell interaction. The members of the family include Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP), Ena-VASP-like (Evl), and Mammalian enabled (Mena). We have previously shown that Mena, despite its localization to the actin tail, has no role in S. flexneri actin-based motility. Here, I investigate the role of Mena, Evl, and VASP in S. flexneri dissemination. I determine that the presence of VASP or Evl restricts cell-to-cell spread of S. flexneri. I further show evidence that the conserved EVH1 domain and phosphorylation of VASP regulate the ability of Shigella to spread.
I-BAR proteins, including IRSp53 and IRTKS, contain a conserved domain that directly binds to membrane lipids and induces convex membrane deformation. This unique property and the ability of these proteins to bind F-actin and actin modulators are necessary for the formation of actin pedestals by pathogenic E. coli and filopodia. Using cells with reduced levels of IRTKS or IRSp53, I examine the role of these proteins in cell-to-cell spread and show that neither IRTKS nor IRSp53 is required for S. flexneri spread.
Collectively, these results advance our understanding of host proteins that participate in S. flexneri dissemination.


text:
use std::{thread, time};

use common::util;
use world::resource::Resource;
use world::space::{Space, SpaceBlock};

#[derive(Debug)]
pub struct Replicator {
    id: i32,
    collector: Vec<Resource>,
    position: util::Position,
}

impl Replicator {
    pub fn new(id: i32, pos: util::Position) -> Replicator {
        Replicator{
            id: id,
            collector: Vec::new(),
            position: pos,
        }
    }

    pub fn get_id(&self) -> i32 {
        self.id
    }

    pub fn replicate(&mut self) -> Option<Replicator> {
        if self.meets_requirements() {
            self.collector = Vec::new();
            let pos = self.position.clone();
            Some(Replicator::new(0, pos))
        } else {
            None
        }
    }

    pub fn add_resource(&mut self, res: Resource) {
        self.collector.push(res);
    }

    pub fn move_to(&mut self, pos: util::Position) {
        // Duration between 1 and 10 seconds
        let millis = util::new_random(1000, 10001);
        let duration = time::Duration::from_millis(millis);

        thread::sleep(duration);

        self.position = pos
    }

    fn meets_requirements(&self) -> bool {
        let mut iron = 0;
        let mut silicon = 0;
        let mut titanium = 0;

        for res in &self.collector {
            iron += res.get_iron();
            silicon += res.get_silicon();
            titanium += res.get_titanium();
        }

        if iron >= 500 && silicon >= 1500 && titanium >= 200 {
            true
        } else {
            false
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Student Competition
Aim 1: Examining the causal role of intentions
Aim 1.1: Causal role of readiness potentials in conscious intention
In this experiment, subjects view a self-paced slide show with the slide being advanced when an EEG brain-computer interface (BCI) detects that the subject is about to act, or by the subject pressing a button, whichever comes first. After each slide advance the subject reports the degree to which s/he felt responsible for the slide advance on a continuous scale from "certain I did it" to "certain the computer did it". Normally a BCI would be trained to detect whatever features in the signal are most predictive of the to-be-detected event (a button press). But in this case the BCI would be trained to specifically detect RP-like events in the EEG data, even if these are less predictive than other signals that might be present. We hypothesize that the amplitude of the averaged readiness potential will be greater for slide advances when the subject feels that s/he had changed the slide, compared to when the subject feels that the computer changed the slide. Follow-up studies will focus on identifying cortical sources that have the strongest association with the feeling of conscious will and testing the causal role of those sources (using TMS).
Aim 1.2: Causation between intention and action representations
Aim 2: Does consciousness contribute to volitional control?
Aim 2.1: Unconsciously producing preferential bias in arbitrary decision-making
In this project, we plan to test the effect of consciously and unconsciously presented primes on subjects' decisions. The latter might either be arbitrary or deliberate decisions. Priming will be measured in two ways; first, probability of making a decision that is congruent with the prime, compared with a decision that is incongruent with the prime. Second, reaction time when making a decision that is congruent with the prime, compared with a decision that is incongruent with the prime (see Figure 4, taken from the grant). To maximize the chances of obtaining an effect, we will focus on difficult decisions, where the difference in value between the options is relatively small (this will be piloted, to make sure the task is not too frustrating for subjects).
Aim 2.2: Interaction between causation and consciousness
Subjective reports of intention onset (Libet et al., 1983; Matsuhashi & Hallett, 2008) vary dramatically in the onset of conscious intentions that they find. Yet, a key aspect of an intention is that it settles behavior. Such settledness also seems to appear when decoding action contents over time from brain activity (see plateau in Fig.—from Salvaris & Haggard, 2014). We will therefore test the relation between the level of conscious, subjective settledness of a decision—as it is being made—and the amount of information in the brain about that decision—as decoded by a classifier from brain activity. The existence of such a relation would suggest that the onset of a plateau in the accuracy of a neural classifier could be used as an objective measure of intention onset.
We will run a version of the experiment in Study 1.2 adapted for EEG—with a pre-cue baseline period, shorter delay period, and shorter time to respond after the go signal. The highly variable delay period and rapid response required motivates participants to form an intention by the start of the delay period. This will comprise 75% of the trials. The other 25% will be catch trials using a version of the probe method (Matsuhashi & Hallett, 2008). A tone will be presented to the subject at a random time during the delay period, and they will be instructed to report the strength of their belief that they had already formed an intention at probe onset on a Likert scale from 1 (certain of no intention) to 7 (certain of intention). We hypothesize that the rise in subjects' certainty about their intentions will track the rise of the accuracy of our decoder.
Aim 2.3: The causal import of attention
The goal of Aim 2.3 is to investigate the causal role of covert attention in decision-making. The experiment specifically examines whether voluntarily directed, covert attention makes a difference to behavior. In the experiment, subjects will decide whether or not to act in three different kinds of situations: (1) when the act promises the possibility of reward for the subject; (2) when the act risks harm to another person; and (3) when the act has both features—the subject has a chance of benefiting and, also, a third party has a chance of being harmed. On each trial, the kind of situation is signaled by colored disks appearing to the left and right of a fixation cross, and covert attention is directed to one or the other of the two disks2. We predict that for trials with both reward and loss, attending to the reward or loss will increase or decrease the empirical probability that subjects will decide to act, respectively.
Aim 2.4: Does becoming aware of unconscious events increase volitional control over those events?
This aim was not included in the final version of the grant. It was discussed in the meeting, and we decided to try and think about it some more, to see if we can flesh it out and design a good-enough experiment to test it. Thus, currently this is the most under-developed aim in this project.
The main thrust is to manipulate subjects' awareness of inner, neural events of which the subject is unaware, and measure the effect this manipulation has on behavior. This will be done via real-time neural feedback that will specifically target an unconscious process of interest (on which we need to decide; this could be the process leading to an upcoming perceptual alternation in binocular rivalry, or an increased response in the amygdala towards a black face.
These are mere examples, that are not obligating in any way). Generally speaking, we ask if making subjects aware of an unconscious event allows them to exert volitional control over it. Notably, making them aware of this state entails also providing them with information about it; we will need to see if the two can be disentangled, and if not – decide if this can still have implications on the question of consciousness' role in volitional control. A possible idea is to try and give the feedback itself subliminally, so that the system is presented with the information in both cases, once with the awareness of it and once without it.
Aim 2.5: Reaction-time experiments comparing responses to conscious and unconscious stimuli (using masking or TMS)
Using the same stimulus and the same response with a consciously seen stimulus and a masked stimulus, it should be possible to compare, at least in this special circumstance, conscious vs. unconscious control of movement. With backward masking, for example, persons do not see the masked stimulus, but still react to it. The experiment can be done with simple or choice reaction time. In the simple reaction time situation, persons believe they are responding to the mask, where they are really responding to the unseen stimulus. Studies can also be done without masking; then they both see and respond to the stimulus. In the choice reaction time situation, the first stimulus and the mask, can indicate different movements. In this circumstance, when responding in the masked situation, it will appear to the subject as a mistake.
Aim 3: Arbitrary versus deliberate decisions: The role of reasons
Aim 3.1: Compare the neural correlates of arbitrary and deliberate intentions
A key EEG correlate of upcoming actions, the readiness potential (RP), is known to precede subjects' reports of their decision to move. Some view this as evidence against a causal role for consciousness in human decision-making and thus against free-will. Yet those studies focused on arbitrary decisions—purposeless, unreasoned, and without consequences. It remained less clear to what degree the RP generalizes to deliberate, more ecological decisions. A previous study directly compared deliberate and arbitrary decision-making during a $1000-donation task to non-profit organizations. They found the expected RPs for arbitrary decisions. But those were strikingly absent for deliberate ones. Those results and their accompanying drift-diffusion model were congruent with the RP representing the accumulation of noisy, random fluctuations that drive arbitrary—but not deliberate—decisions. They further point to different neural mechanisms underlying deliberate and arbitrary decisions, challenging the generalizability of studies that argue for no causal role for consciousness in decision-making to real-life decisions.
In the current aim, we focus on the neural precursors of deliberate decisions, as these were not investigated in the above study. Based on previous research, those precursors might be in brain regions that are not accessible using EEG. In addition, there is evidence from fMRI studies for neural precursors of arbitrary decisions. In this sub-aim, we will therefore directly compare the neural precursors of arbitrary and deliberate decisions using fMRI.
Aim 3.2: Does perturbing the neural correlates of arbitrary intentions affect deliberate intentions?
The notion that the readiness potential (RP) is a ballistic neural activation, with its onset matching the onset of the decision—or even reflecting the decision-making process—has been challenged in recent years (e.g., Schurger et al., 2012). What is more, it has been demonstrated that the RP might be limited to arbitrary decisions (as in Libet et al., 1983) and not generalize to deliberate ones (Maoz et al., under review). Here we will investigate the degree to which the RP plays a causal role in arbitrary and in deliberate decisions. We will dampen the RP using rTMS and then investigate any differential behavioral affect that it would have on arbitrary and deliberate decisions, if at all.
Aim 3.3: Do subjects have less access to their arbitrary intentions than to their deliberate ones?
TMS pulses to the primary motor cortex, which reliably caused reflex-like contralateral index-finger flexion, were triggered off the EMG activity of the voluntary, arbitrary flexion of that index finger (see Fig.). The TMS click was after the beginning of the muscle contraction and hence happened after the onset of volition. However, subjects reported being on the verge of deciding when hearing the TMS click and witnessing their finger move, hence while their will was still unsettled. Any decent definition of intention would suggest it has occurred at TMS onset. Yet, delivering a TMS pulse that would trigger an action that has already begun tends to result in an erroneous inference about intention onset. Here we will compare the effect of the above for arbitrary and deliberate decisions.
Aim 4: Theoretical analysis
There are a number of concepts that are central to accounts in the neuroscience of free will, such as "consciousness", "representation", "intention", "decision", "volition" and of course "free will". Many of these concepts are contested: they are understood in different ways by different theorists, and are often understood in different ways within different disciplines. The aim of this aspect of the project is to identify some of the key differences here, and to ask foundational questions about how these concepts should be understood.
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Irish Property Market May Rebound
December 28, 2012 Michael Green
The part that the collapse in the Irish property market played in destroying the Irish economy has been well documented. The 2007 height of the market now seems like an eternity ago with prices falling by as much as 47% according to the Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO). The market collapsed, the banks collapsed, the economy collapsed. The EU, IMF and ECB provided loans to Ireland to keep the country running on condition that part of these loans was used to pay back bondholders in Europe, many of whom were based in Germany and France. The punitive rate of interest … Continue reading Irish Property Market May Rebound
Memories of an Irish Christmas by Marie O'Byrne
'Hurry today love, there's a lot that needs to get done. We have to catch the early bus into Bray to pick up the turkey!' My mother spoke fast and very excitedly as she handed me the empty milk pail. It was early in the morning on Christmas Eve. I put on my wool coat and hat, grabbed the milk pail and ran out the door. I was about twelve years old. Running across the fields to the Massey Farm, I could see the small footprints I made in the frosty morning grass, and I could feel the hard ground … Continue reading Memories of an Irish Christmas by Marie O'Byrne
Trouble Continues in Ulster Over Flag Restrictions
December 8, 2012 Michael Green
The decision by Belfast City Council to restrict the number of days that the British Union Jack flag can be flown above Belfast City Hall from 365 days to 17 has been greeted with an escalating amount of violent protest in Belfast and beyond. At least 27 police officers have so far been injured in the violence that has followed several protests by loyalists who oppose the decision. Bricks and petrol bombs have been thrown at security forces, cars burned and death threats made to Councillors. Despite appeals by the North's First Minister Peter Robinson,himself a loyalist, for the violence … Continue reading Trouble Continues in Ulster Over Flag Restrictions
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Osborne, Lavery and Leech – A Trio Of Irish Painters
Walter Osborne was born in 1859. He painted mainly in the French Brittany region of Quimperle but moved to England in 1884. His paintings of rural scenes that dominated his early years gradually gave way to an 'impressionistic' interpretation of those subjects that he had great empathy for, namely women, small children and old people. His superb images of young girls at play are still cherished by the National Gallery of Ireland: The Dolls School, The House Builders. John Lavery was born in Belfast but was educated in Glasgow, London and Paris. He originally worked as an apprentice photographer but … Continue reading Osborne, Lavery and Leech – A Trio Of Irish Painters
Sixth Successive Austerity Budget May Be The Final Straw
December 6, 2012 December 6, 2012 Michael Green
The annual budget announced by the Irish Government has been received with a greater degree of anger and protest than previous announcements. This is the sixth successive austerity budget that Irish Governments have enacted. All have been unpopular but this latest budget may represent a tipping point. Already reeling from years of tax hikes and cuts in services the Irish public had elected Fine Gael and the Labour Party on the basis that a new direction would be taken. A very different direction from that followed by the previous Fianna Fail administration. It is not that the Irish people expected … Continue reading Sixth Successive Austerity Budget May Be The Final Straw
Ireland Ranked 25th Most Corrupt Country in 2012
The Berlin based watchdog 'Transparency International' has released its latest report regarding national public sector corruption. The new study uses metrics such as the independence and efficiency of the state judicial system as well as the effectiveness of oversight of public spending to compile the list. According to the latest results Ireland has fallen from 19th place last year to 25th place in 2012. The study measures the perception of corruption, given that most corrupt dealings are secret or never detected. Of the 176 countries that were analyzed Greece ranked in 94th place, the worst of any EU country. Widescale … Continue reading Ireland Ranked 25th Most Corrupt Country in 2012
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10 Things You May Never Have Known About Dublin
HOW DUBLIN GOT ITS NAME The Gaelic name for Dublin is 'Baile Atha Cliath' which translates literally as 'town of the hurdle ford', a description of the bank of wooden hurdles built up across the river Liffey by the Vikings. The word 'Dublin' is actually a composition of two Gaelic words: 'dubh' meaning 'black' and 'linn' means 'pool' (or 'mire'). Thus the literal translation of the words from which Dublin gets its name is Black pool! Crossing the 'hurdle ford' was not without its dangers. In 770 AD a band of Bon Valley raiders were drowned crossing the Liffey at the … Continue reading 10 Things You May Never Have Known About Dublin


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Jamaica Football
'Flat' Reggae Girlz go down 2-1 to Paraguay in second friendly. "Should we have knocked some goals in, maybe..." Coach Donaldson
By Leighton Levy November 14, 2022
Jamaica's Reggae Girlz lost 2-1 to Paraguay at the Kingston's National Stadium on Sunday in what was the second of two international friendlies. The Reggae Girlz won the first encounter against their South American opponents in Montego Bay on Thursday, November 10.
First-half goals from Celsa Sandaoval and Ramona Martinez in the 16th and 35th minutes, respectively gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at half-time before Khadijah 'Bunny' Shaw pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
Glaring errors by the Jamaica's gifted the Paraguayans their two goals against a wasteful Jamaican team that missed several opportunities to score.
Deneisha Blackwood's errant back pass was seized upon by Sandaoval, who beat an advancing Rebecca Spencer in the Jamaican goal before shooting into the bottom right hand corner.
The second 19 minutes later resulted in a poor pass from Havana Solaun, which gave the Paraguayan forwards to spread the ball wide before a cross found Martinez free inside the box to smash home from close range.
Head Coach Lorne Donaldson said he was not surprised by the slow start. He said he saw it coming given that the girls were not sharp during their warm-ups and it showed in the opening 20 minutes of the game.
He explained, however, that the match was not all about trying to win as there were several players that the coaching staff wanted to take a look at before finalizing the squad for the World Cup still nine months away.
"Our camp is a little bit different from Paraguay. We are still looking at stuff. We are still looking at players, so obviously we want to win but it is not going to be at all cost for this camp because we have to give some players a look, so stuff is going to be a little bit off and that was evident in the first 20 minutes," he said.
Among the things that we "off" was the Reggae Girlz shooting. Chances fell to Drew Spence and Shaw in the first half but were either blocked missed entirely.
Spence's 13th minute shot was parried by goalkeeper Christine Ricalde while Shaw dragged one past the far post just two minutes later.
Siobhan Wilson's cross fell to Paige Bailey-Paige, whose shot from inside the box was charged down by a defender. Allyson Swaby also had a shot from two yards blocked by Ricalde.
Three changes made at the resumption of play resulted in Jamaica being more organized and stable defensively. Vyan Sampson replaced an ineffective Solaun and Atlanta Primus came on to replace Kayla McCoy in midfield while fullback Tiernney Wiltshire replaced Malikae Dayes.
Bailey-Gayle and Wilson were substituted for wingers Cheyna Matthews and Rachel Jones in the 59th minute, the latter making an immediate impact.
Jones' driving run down the left flank and resulting cross led to the handled ball from which a penalty was awarded allowing Jamaica back into the game.
The changes, Donaldson said, were a direct result of the team's inability to control the game and limit the number of turnovers, which invariably but the defence under pressure.
"If you see, when we came out in the second half there were two changes in the midfield because we couldn't control the game, we couldn't anything. We were passing the ball to the next team, so that's a part of saying this would never work or this is not going to work," he said while lamenting the poor finishing that ultimately cost the team.
"Should we have knocked some goals in, maybe we should have but such is football. To us, it's preparation and the end product is what we are looking at."
Donaldson said this was the last window when the coaching staff would be looking at new players. He indicated that by the next camp they should have the 30 players from which the final squad will be selected for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
International Friendlies
reggae girlz
khadijah shaw
lorne donaldson
celsa sandaoval
ramona martinez
tiernny wiltshire
havana solaun
cheyna matthews
paige baileygayle
christina ricalde
atlanta primus
rachel jones
siobhan wilson
drew spence
vyan sampson
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Leighton Levy
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years' experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
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More quality football on the horizon for regional teams as CONMEBOL and CONCACAF sign strategic collaboration agreement
CONMEBOL and Concacaf have announced the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement to strengthen and develop football in both regions. The agreement includes men's and women's national team competitions and a new men's club tournament.
The CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 will be played in the United States in the summer of 2024 and will include 10 CONMEBOL teams and the six best Concacaf teams, as guests. This traditional CONMEBOL tournament will be co-organized by both confederations.
The six Concacaf national teams will have the opportunity to qualify for this competition through the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League.
For CONMEBOL, this agreement will support its men's national teams in their preparation for the upcoming World Cup through an expanded Copa America featuring six elite Concacaf teams, organized in the region that will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Similarly, this agreement will allow Concacaf to provide more high-quality competition for its men's national teams over the next two years, including the conclusion of the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League, the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League.
For women's national teams, Concacaf has invited the top four CONMEBOL national teams to participate in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. The inaugural edition of this 12-team tournament, which is a key part of Concacaf's new women's national team ecosystem, will be played in the United States.
The four guest CONMEBOL teams that will participate have been determined based on the results of the 2022 Women's Copa America: Brazil (champion) Colombia (runner-up), Argentina (third place) and Paraguay (fourth place).
CONMEBOL and Concacaf will also organize a centralized "final four" style club competition featuring the best clubs from the respective confederations. The four participating teams (two from each confederation) will qualify through existing CONMEBOL and Concacaf club competitions and the two confederations are working towards the first edition of this tournament being played in 2024.
"CONMEBOL and Concacaf are united by historical and affective ties. But above all, we are united by the passion, characteristic of all the Americas, for football and sports," said CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez.
"We are determined to renew and expand our joint initiatives and projects. We want this passion to translate into more and better competitions and for football and its values to grow and strengthen throughout the hemisphere. Without a doubt, both confederations believe in big, and we will work with this orientation."
Meanwhile, Victor Montagliani, President of Concacaf, believes this new initiative will be a boon to both confederations.
"This is a partnership to support the ongoing growth of men's and women's football in Concacaf and CONMEBOL, and will truly be of mutual benefit to both Confederations," he said.
"Working hand in hand with CONMEBOL, we will deliver elite competitions that will provide more opportunities for our federations, and that we know passionate fans want to see. We look forward to working together to ensure that football in both regions continues to thrive."
Nagelsmann insists 'better attitude' needed from Bayern as Gnabry set to be left out
Julian Nagelsmann believes Bayern Munich must improve their attitude if they are to get back to winning ways in the Bundesliga.
Joshua Kimmich's 90th-minute equaliser was enough to earn a late point at home to Koln on Tuesday, but the result was Bayern's second consecutive 1-1 draw after they failed to beat RB Leipzig the previous week.
Their shaky form since returning from the extended Bundesliga mid-season break has given hope to title challengers such as Union Berlin and Leipzig, the former of whom sit second and just three points behind Nagelsmann's men at the summit.
With Bayern aiming to win their 11th straight title, Nagelsmann pointed to his team's need for an improved mindset heading into the rest of the season.
When asked whether he had any questions over Bayern's mentality, Nagelsmann told reporters: "I often talk to our team psychologist about it. That's always a big word.
"The atmosphere is like it always is at Bayern when you don't win. Not restless, but not super happy either.
"Each of our players is a great talent and a great footballer. They also have a lot of desire and a great will. You just have to get back to those things.
"Then we have more quality than other teams in the Bundesliga and in Europe.
"But for me it's not about mentality, it's about attitude, and better attitude."
Nagelsmann revealed Serge Gnabry will not start against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday after the winger was hooked at half-time of the draw with Koln.
The former Arsenal man already caused a stir when he used a day off to attend Paris Fashion Week prior to Tuesday's poor performance, with his replacement Kingsley Coman recording four key passes after his introduction, tied for the game high.
Nagelsmann says it will be the France international who gets to start against Frankfurt, saying: "Gnabry had the chance to show himself against Koln. I don't want to hold tabloid issues so high. He didn't take his chance in Cologne.
"We had a good conversation and I explained to him that his substitution was only for sporting reasons.
"We had a good man on the bench in Kingsley Coman against Koln, who will start tomorrow."
Leon Goretzka was also taken off at half-time against Koln, though his removal was because of injury concerns, and Nagelsmann confirmed the midfielder will play no part on Saturday after having to leave training early on Thursday.
"Leon will be out," Nagelsmann stated. "He has nerve problems on the inside of his thighs. He can probably play again on Wednesday [against Mainz in the DFB-Pokal].
"Unfortunately, Leon keeps having aches and pains, and that won't change anymore. He invests a lot. I support him and we communicate frequently."
Ten Hag reveals Sancho 'making steps' towards Man Utd return
Jadon Sancho is "making steps" towards returning for Manchester United and could play against Reading in the FA Cup on Saturday, manager Erik ten Hag revealed.
Sancho has not featured for United since a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in October, with Ten Hag giving the reason for his absence as "circumstances with fitness and mood".
The 22-year-old returned to training last week, but Ten Hag ruled him out of the 3-2 Premier League defeat at leaders Arsenal on Sunday, a loss that ended a run of six league games undefeated.
During Sancho's time away, Ten Hag has played both 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford at left-wing, the latter of whom is on a run of 10 goals in as many games in all competitions since returning from the World Cup.
While Garnacho and Rashford have impressed in Sancho's absence, with United the only English team left competing on four fronts, the former Borussia Dortmund man's return could provide Ten Hag with useful depth as they bid to end a six-year trophy drought.
Ten Hag is hoping Sancho will be back on the field soon, and did not rule out him making an appearance against Reading at Old Trafford in the FA Cup fourth round.
"He [Sancho] is training with the team, and we will see," Ten Hag told reporters. "He's improving, he's making steps, and we will make the decision after training [whether he will play against Reading].
"He's on the way back, he's making steps, he's back in team training, and we have to see when he's ready to go back into games."
The cup tie with Reading will be United's eighth match since the start of 2023, but Ten Hag is confident of putting out a more than capable line-up against the Royals, saying: "We always have issues.
"But I think tomorrow we will have a strong selection for this game, we have a good squad, we can cover things."
Ten Hag warned against complacency against a side 30 places below them in the English football pyramid, explaining: "Football is never decided on paper, we have to be ready for every game.
"Every opponent will be tough. Especially in the cup for them, it's a perfect chance. We have to be aware of that, be on the front foot, focused and [with] energy. We want to win every game."
United continue to have problems at full-back, with Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot both missing the 3-0 EFL Cup semi-final first-leg victory over Nottingham Forest with knocks.
Ten Hag ruled out Dalot for the Reading game while he could not commit on Shaw, though he lauded Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrell Malacia for how they deputised against Forest.
"Dalot definitely out and Shaw a question mark," Ten Hag added. "We have to see after training.
"I think Aaron and Tyrell play magnificent in this moment, on Wednesday they were really brilliant, the whole back four was really brilliant.
"In the back four we have really adapted the squad, that's what you need with 10 games in 30 days."
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Q: Putting a bar above an argument so that they touch I would like to put a line/bar over an argument, so that the bar just touches the top of the highest point of the argument.  I do not want any gap between the bar and argument.  Basically, I would like to create a command \justtouching{A} which resembles \r{A}, but with a line instead of a small circle right above the A.
My initial thought was to try and lower the \overline{argument} command so that it just touches the top of the 'argument', but I couldn't quite figure out how to do this.
I don't necessarily need the command to be operable only in the math environment -- manipulating the \overline command was just an idea that I thought would be the easiest to implement.
Any ideas/input would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

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Categories: Azhwars, Faith, Grace of God, Koorathazhwar, Ramanujacharya, Scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam.
So what does it mean to unlearn? In Tiruppavai, Sri Andal says 'arivondrum illaada aaikulam' (literally: cowherd clan who has no intellect/sense). Of the 6 senses, they (the cowherds of Vraja) possessed none, she says, hinting that their only claim to ownership of Krishna was their unflinching blind faith; which did not come from any physical or mental attributes including the intellect. Such faith is what moves mountains, literally in the case of Lord Govinda, who felt the responsibility to protect the Gopas who surrendered to Him without doubt. In this same pasuram (verse), Sri Andal addresses Krishna as 'kurai ondrum illaadha Govinda' (the faultless Govinda). Lord Krishna—who is perfect and hence knows perfectly well who is eligible for His highest blessing of pure love—fills the minds of those who are "without a mind" (as against those whose minds are 'full' of intellect, where there is little space for the love-embodiment Krishna to take charge). The phrase "kurai ondrum illaadha Govinda" also highlights the blemish-less characteristic of Lord Sri Krishna, as only one who is entirely without fault is qualified to accept another's uthama sharanagathi (highest surrender).
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji also uses the same words as Sri Andal in a kirtan: 'arivondrum illada enthanai kuriyaai, kurai ondrum illaadha Govindane kondaan' (the blemish-less Lord Krishna took over me, who am without any intellect).
Sri Koorathazhwar was a great disciple of Sri Ramanujacharya. He was a very learned person and a scholar, and although senior to Sri Ramanuja in age, was an epitome of Acharya bhakti and humility. One day, when he and many other disciples were with Sri Ramanuja, a deaf and dumb man came to seek the Acharya's blessings. Sri Ramanuja was intensely moved on seeing the plight of that man who could neither say nor hear the Divine Name of the Lord. Tears filled the eyes of Sri Ramanuja as his compassion poured on a soul who could not attain Vaikunta in that birth simply because of his circumstances. Then Sri Ramanuja asked all his disciples to leave the room immediately and close the door behind them, so that he could be alone with the deaf and dumb man. All the disciples, including Koorathazhwar, left the room. However Koorathazhwar was curious to see what his acharya was going to do. So he peeped in through a window. He saw his acharya place his feet on the head of the deaf and dumb man and bless him, saying that now he would attain Vaikunta.
When Koorathazhwar saw this, he broke down and began to cry, lamenting his own fate. Regretting all his learning, scholarship and intellectuality, he cried wishing he had been born deaf, dumb and a simpleton so that he would have had the great fortune of having his Acharya's feet placed on his head, thus attaining life's highest goal so simply and easily!


This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the northern Italian region of Lombardia from 1866-1936. This database currently contains records for some towns in the provinces of Como and Lecco. A list of all the towns included can be seen in the browse table below. Some of these towns encompass frazioni (hamlets) and comuni soppressi (historical or extinct localities). Records for these localities will also be found among these records. For a list of frazioni and comuni soppressi and the corresponding towns to which they belong, see the bottom of this description.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the northern Italian provinces of Alessandria and Asti from 1866-1938.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the northern Italian region of Lombardy from 1866-1936. The majority of the records in this database come from towns in the province of Lodi, but there are also records for about 20 towns in neighboring provinces. A list of all the towns included can be seen in the browse table below. Some of these towns encompass frazioni (hamlets) and comuni soppressi (historical or extinct localities). Records for these localities will also be found among these records.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the northern Italian region of Piemonte from 1870-1937. This database currently contains records for some towns in the provinces of Novara and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. A list of all the towns included can be seen in the browse table below. Some of these towns encompass frazioni (hamlets) and comuni soppressi (historical or extinct localities). Records for these localities will also be found among these records.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the northern Italian province of Siena from 1866-1937. This database currently contains records for the towns of: Abbadia San Salvatore, Campiglia d'Orcia, Casciano dei Bagni, Castiglione d'Orcia, Cetona, Chianciano, Chiusi, Montepulciano, Piancastagnaio, Pienza, Radicofani, San Casciano dei Bagni, San Giovanni d'Asso, San Quirico d'Orcia, Sarteano, Sinalunga, Torrita, Torrita di Siena, and Trequanda.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the Sicilian province of Caltanissetta from 1866-1939. Please note, due to privacy laws of the Italian government, records that contain any information dated within the last 70 years cannot be displayed online. However, a copy or a certificate of the record can be requested from the local town hall. See samples of letters for requesting certificates in the learning center on this website.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, allegati (enclosures or supplemental records), and citizenship records for comuni (towns) in the northern Italian province of Varese from 1866-1937. The towns that are presently included can be seen by looking on the "Varese" link below. Some of these towns encompass frazioni (hamlets) and comuni soppressi (historical or extinct localities). Records for these localities will also be found among these records.
This database contains births, marriages, marriage banns, deaths, and allegati (enclosures or supplemental records) for comuni (towns) in the southern Italian region of Calabria from 1810-1936. This database currently contains records for the town of Falerna, in the province of Catanzaro. The town of Falerna encompasses the frazioni (hamlets) of Castiglione Marittimo and Falerna Scalo. Records for these localities will also be found among these records.


Q. Where is the Health Sciences Library?
The Health Sciences Library is located on the Cumberland Campus of the University of Sydney at 75 East Street, Lidcombe.
The Library supports staff and students from the Faculty of Health Sciences.