So, are you young, fresh, enjoy a good time, and love beer and pizza? Hello!
NZCS are proud to announce the establishment of the NZCS Young IT Professionals Group (YITPG) in Auckland.
YITPG is a new Specialist Group of NZCS, the body for ICT Professionals, and is basically a networking group for 20- and 30-something ICT enthusiasts (generally those with up to 10 years’ professional work experience) and students.
How to get involved?
YITPG will be running regular events and providing opportunities for young IT peeps to get together both online and over beer and pizza and good company, while also maybe learning something new... maybe.
If you're interested and roughly fit the intended age range it's free to get involved (although events may cost a coupla bucks to cover costs). Simply join the mailing list (below) and come along to the inaugural event (Geek Bling with @nzben).
The first event features @nzben, the tech dude from TVNZ Breakfast, showing off geek bling (fancy pancy tech toys) - it'll be huge and comes with beer and pizza.
What can you expect from these events?
We'll endeavour to line up speakers who can deliver presentations tailored to Young IT Professionals in New Zealand, addressing issues, tackling challenges and providing information related to you as the next generation. Many of these events will also be fully interactive - take part!
Future events could/can/maybe include:
- Social Media – What exactly is it? How is going to impact web developers and companies moving forward?
- Mobile Computing – Cellphones/PDA’s/wireless.. its everywhere and its changing the way we work.
- Cloud Computing – What does it mean to us today? And where is it going to take ICT tomorrow?
- Virtualisation - Its new(ish), and its getting bigger!
And basically any other topic we think of that's fun, interesting, and relevant.
Join the mailing list!
First off, join the mailing list! Just log in, edit your mailing lists, and select "Young IT Professionals - Auckland" from the list at the left, then save it and you're done.
If you're not yet on the NZCS Mailing Lists, you can sign up here. It's free!
If you're on Twitter, follow @yitpg for other announcements and general chit-chat, and there'll be others coming soon on Facebook etc.
But at the end of the day, just come along, tell your mates, and have fun - that's what it's all about.
Want to help organise things?
We're in the process of putting together a committee to help build and grow the group. If you're passionate about IT and want to help put together what will be the premier national group for young IT professionals, we want to hear from you!
It's called a "committee", but really it's not as arduous or dull as it sounds. It's a case of getting together over a beer and brainstorming how to make this thing work, approaching speakers, finding the odd sponsor, and helping out on the day. Easy peasy.
If you're keen, drop a note to yitpg@nzcs.org.nz with a bit of background about you and what you want to achieve, and we'll come back to you pronto.
And the future?
We want this group to grow to a nationwide phenomenon for young geeks throughout the country, however we have to walk before we run! So first we're getting things established in Auckland. Once we've sussed out what works and what doesn't, we'll work with like-minded people in other parts of the country to help get things going there.
We're also keen for those involved in the group to get involved in other NZCS projects such as ICT-Connect (fronting up in front of kids in schools about IT) and helping out with the Students of NZCS (SNZCS) chapters sprouting up around NZ.
Corporates - want to get involved?
Wanna help out? There are great opportunities to sponsor the monthly get-together. It's not hugely expensive but is excellent exposure to a group normally pretty hard to get in front of. More importantly, however, it's showing your support for a group of young professionals keen to make stuff happen.
We're also on the look out for sponsored venues in central Auckland - let us know if you can help.
If you're keen to help drop a note to yitpg@nzcs.org.nz and we'll flick you more details.
But most of all, get involved!
We're doing this because we love IT and want to see more young geeks and IT peeps get together and network.
This will only work with your help, so please - register and show up to the first event and flick it on to your mates. Tweet about it if you're on Twitter, pop something on your blog, and help make this the success it should be!
Look forward to seeing you there!
Kind regards,
Annaliese Bishop (@annaliesebishop)
Ben Smith (@bensmithnz)
Co-Chairs
NZCS Young IT Professionals Group (Auckland)
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