Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) is a non-profit organization of professionals working in or having an interest in the computer science and information technology fields. BDPA has a diverse representation of information technology professionals. BDPA members are programmers, analysts, engineers, managers, students, instructors, senior level executives, and entrepreneurs. Currently, the organization has more than forty active chapters across the United States.
Tell us what the mission of your group is? Our mission is to provide programs and services that position technology professionals at the forefront of the information technology industry. We serve the community by supporting initiatives that bridge the digital divide and empower youth to acquire the complex skills needed to succeed in the information age.
In what ways do you look to help members? Because our members are students, professionals, senior level executives, and entrepreneurs, we seek to support our members in highly specialized ways. We assist our student members in making a successful transition from classroom studies to a professional career. Most of our IT professional members have remained employed during tough economic times. We support them with tools, training, and strategies to achieve their career goals. Our senior level executive and entrepreneur members receive access to a high-caliber pool of diverse talent for their hiring needs. We also support our senior level executive and entrepreneur members in making important business and political contacts that are critical to competing effectively in a global business environment. Our programs and services literally support our members from the classroom to the boardroom.
How can the local tech community help your group? The local tech community can assist our group by becoming active members and attending our monthly program meetings. We need members who are willing to share their talents and skills, giving 1-1/2 to 5 hours a month of their time to support us. We need individual and corporate sponsors in the community to step forward and provide financial support for our programs and services.
In what ways do you help the overall Triangle technology community? The BDPA Triangle Chapter helps the overall Triangle technology community by bridging the digital divide and supporting ongoing career and professional development, entrepreneurial development, and assessment of tech industry trends. We provide the vehicle many employers and organizations seek to reach qualified minority IT professionals and minority entrepreneurs. In addition, because the BDPA Triangle Chapter recognizes the importance of filling the pipeline of talent for the future, we are also actively developing the next generation of IT professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs.
What are the goals of your group for 2005? Our goals for 2005 include delivering high-quality programs and services to the Triangle community. We deliver professional development seminars at our monthly program meetings and provide our members access to resources that will develop their entrepreneurial skills. We will send a team of area high school students to the BDPA National Conference in Detroit next summer to represent the BDPA Triangle Chapter at the annual High School Computer Competition. High school students from across the nation will compete in their knowledge and application of information technology skills.
What are the biggest challenges your group faces currently? The biggest challenge our group faces is recruiting IT professionals who have been impacted by the downsizing of the IT workforce. Our challenge is to help them see BDPA membership as an investment that will return tremendous value to them both short-term and long-term. As a member-focused organization, the BDPA Triangle Chapter is uniquely qualified to face this challenge. We are addressing this challenge by identifying the specific needs of each and every member. We then integrate solutions to those needs into our programs and services.
Any final advice for downsized professionals? Our message to downsized IT professionals is to network, network, and network some more. Most individuals I have spoken with who have landed employment opportunities during this recent downturn say they have secured employment in the technology field as a direct result of networking. Any IT professional who is not actively networking should start networking and never stop.
Learn more about the BDPA Triangle Chapter at http://www.bdpatriangle.org.
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