Quick ITP update and upcoming events

Last week ITP President Mike Dennehy completed his term as ITP President. It's been a massive pleasure working with Mike over the last 6 years (the most recent 4 years with him as President) and he's made a huge contribution.
As one era concludes another begins, with Anthony Dowling and Robyn Kamira appointed to the President and Deputy President roles respectively.
Also, check out last week's UFB and the Future of Fibre webinar on the ITP Video Library, now with closed captions, and look out for the final of the 123Tech in-school challenge this week, broadcast live at 2pm Thursday!
Passing of the President baton
Last week was the last ITP National Board meeting of the year, with a strong focus on planning (both strategic planning and annual planning for next year's work programme).
It also marked the end of an era, with ITP President Mike Dennehy reaching the end of his term. Mike has been President for 4 years and was a very active Deputy President prior to that.
Mike Dennehy, ITP President 2016-2020
Mike has been a huge influence in the organisation over this time, with a completely unwavering focus on professional practice and ensuring that ITP's attention remains on helping our members, and the profession as a whole, grow. His leadership has also helped ensure steady and stable governance and a focus on ensuring broad income streams to support ITP's activities.
At a personal level, I've thoroughly enjoyed working with him. As well as being wise counsel, he's both supported and challenged me, which is awesome. We've also had heaps of fun along the way, and I'll certainly miss his wicked sense of humour - although he's staying on on the Board and Executive for a few months to ease the transition, and I suspect we'll still catch up regularly after that!
New ITP President and Deputy President
New ITP President Anthony Dowling and Deputy President Robyn Kamira
Ex-Deputy President Anthony Dowling has stepped up to the national President role following four years on the Executive (and several years on the National Board prior to that). A huge congratulations to Ants and it's great to see the deep south continue the tradition of leadership of ITP through many Presidents off and on over the years :).
While he does have big boots to fill, Ants will make an excellent President and is also joined by new Deputy President Robyn Kamira. As well as serving on ITP's National Board, Robyn has been hugely involved in the industry and profession as a Māori Economic Development Advisory Board and Māori Spectrum Working Group member, Hi-Tech Awards lead judge, advisor to the TIN 100 Report, member of the Tech Story Advisory Board and so much more.
We're incredibly lucky to have such high-calibre people across our National Board, both past and present. Without exception, our Board members work hard because they care deeply about our profession and it's a privilege to be working with them all.
123Tech National Finals - this Thursday!
We're really excited about the Tahi Rua Toru Tech National Finals this Thursday, 2-3pm!
As most will know, Tahi Rua Toru Tech (123Tech) is NZ's in-school project-based digital tech challenge, with teams of students across New Zealand using digital tech to tackle a problem in their local school or community.
The challenge is co-funded by industry and Government, and many thousands of students have taken part over the last three years to help usher in the Digital Technologies curriculum.
Given Covid and its impact on travel and other activities, we've opted for a livestreamed broadcast event rather than the face-to-face finals event this year. While on one hand it'll be sad not to welcome all the finalists to Wellington, it gives us the opportunity to put together an amazing showcase of both school student work, and our industry.
As well as announcing and celebrating the national winners live, the event will feature virtual tours and interviews with some of the most innovative tech companies in New Zealand and quite a few surprises!
Check out the live stream on Thursday on the 123Tech website.
ITP Video Library now with closed captions
Those with hearing impairment - as well as those who just prefer to read as well as listen - will be pleased to know that we're now investing in closed captions for all new videos in the ITP Video Library.
This came from a suggested by a member and is a great way we can ensure that ITP is as open and welcoming to the whole community - including those with disabilities. We're investing in human-created (rather than automatic) captioning to improve accuracy, and while adding captions to all videos in the existing library is cost prohibitive, we'll be adding them to all new talks, webinars and presentations.
Generally speaking, the closed captions will appear 1-2 days after the video is uploaded. We're working on speeding this up, however don't want to delay the release of videos while waiting for the captions to be created.
As always, your feedback on these captions is very welcome!
WATCH NOW:
UFB and the Future of Fibre
Where would we be now without UFB?
Clearly the decisions made about connectivity and fibre a few years back unknowingly prepared New Zealand for the Covid-19 pandemic. With remote technology uptake at an all-time high now, what does the future hold?
Join Chorus' Network Strategy Manager Kurt Rodgers as he talks through the UFB rollout (the good, the bad and the ugly), the massive rise in data consumption, HyperFibre, and the future of connectivity in New Zealand. This is a hugely interesting talk.
ITP members can watch it free here
Get an ITP Industry Mentor
As you may know, ITP re-launched our Mentoring Programme this year as a more stream-lined and free service to members. We have lots of mentors ready to go and if you're keen to be advance your career, we can match you promptly and kick off your mentoring partnership.
What is the ITP Mentoring Programme?
The programme continues to be built around professional development or career-focused mentoring - helping IT professionals set clear career goals and objectives, understand that they have the ability to achieve these, and putting in place a plan to do it.
If you haven't been involved in mentoring before don't be shy - this programme is purpose built for you. The programme has been designed to scale and we see it as a core part of professional growth.
The programme is also completely free for non-student ITP members, as part of our overall goal to help further those in our community. We'll be providing other career guidance for students but mentoring is for those currently practicing.
Once matched, mentees and mentors can expect to meet once a month (for approximately an hour) over the 12-month period. This can be in-person of via a videocall. We provide guidance, resources, career planning templates and more, and you also have access to a mentoring facilitator to help work through any issues you might have along the way.
Now's the right time
It's been a tough year for everyone, but now is the absolute right time to focus on career development and the future. It's also a great time of year - we can get you set up now, meet your mentor before Christmas, then kick things off properly in the new year.
It's easy to get started - just join the mentoring programme online. We ask you a few questions to help match you to the perfect mentor and the whole process only takes around 10-15 minutes.
Find out more or sign up here
Exclusive ITP member offers
We're really excited to have a bunch of new deals and offers available for ITP members, thanks to some of our awesome Corporate Partners. Check them out on the ITP Member Offers page.
This includes huge offers on tech-related courses from Yoobee, NZSE and ITP, plus excellent offers from GoWirelessNZ, EscrowNZ, The IT Psychiatrist, insurance offerings, events and conferences and more.
Check out all of the ITP Member Offers
Offer of the week:
The IT Psychiatrist is an "on demand" tech executive that can help your organisation, or boost your capability, across cost, tools, information and skills.
ITP members and partners exclusively receive 10% Discount on all engagements.
If you're an ITP member or corporate partner, check them out here
Previous webinars - all available free to members
All past webinars are available on the ITP Video Library for members:
- UFB and the Future of Fibre
- Down-to-Earth Leadership Skills for Tech Geniuses
- How technology enabled the health response
- How Covid is impacting the Gaming Industry
- Creating a plan for Digital Skills
- Cybersecurity and the recent attacks
- Tech legal update - what you need to know
- An afternoon with Nanogirl
- Taking kiwi tech to the post-Covid world
- Tech startups in a post-Covid world
- The IRD Transformation
- Digital Government and Covid-19
- Tech and the Covid-19 recovery
- Privacy in the days of Covid-19
- Leading Wellness in uncertain times
- Meet the ITP Workshop Presenters
- The data behind Covid19
- Innovation in tough times: Don't Hunker in the Bunker
- Covid19: Tech and the Law
- Cybersecurity from home
- Clarke Ching on disaster innovation
- CITPNZ and CTech: The What, How and Why
- Working Remotely - How to get through
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