The Bradford (Pa.) Era, Business and Industry Outlook, Monday, February 29, 2016 — 5
New computer labs help Pitt-Bradford students simulate work at small business The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has completed a new lab to give Computer Information Systems and Technology students another real-life work opportunity. Within months of its initial setup by students in the Advanced Systems Networking Practicum during the spring semester, it will be torn down. That’s by design. Next year — another set of students will build it gain, practicing the skills they would need to set up a complete computer system for a small business. The lab didn’t look like much to begin with — five empty metal “racks” and a corner full of equipment in boxes. That’s just about what information technology workers would find if they were setting up a server room for a small business or organization, explains Steve Ellison, a technical analyst at Pitt-Bradford who also teaches in the computer program. “This is a typical set-up for a small organization,” he said. Setting up the system from scratch means students will set up a server room, install software, upgrade software, and create virtual machines to back up data and prevent its loss — just as they would for a small company. The class allows upperclassmen to integrate the skills they have learned in previous courses, apply them, and research and solve problems along the way. Justin Martinez, a senior from Miami, Fla., said that during his freshman year, he dreaded networking classes. But during an internship with alumnus Donald Kemick at Protocol 80, he became interested in networking. Now he’s taking the class to review his skills before heading out into the workforce, but he wishes he had had the opportunity to take the practicum before tackling client servers at Protocol 80. Other students in the class said that having the chance to work on a complete set-up is also making them feel more confident about their ability to apply to real equipment what they have learned in theory and on simulators. Even though the lab will be all set up, more students will have the same opportunity next academic year. During the summer, Ellison explained, student workers will disassemble all of the work performed by students this spring so that a new group
The first step in reaching your goals is reaching the person who can help you achieve them.
William W. Chapman, CFP®, MBA, ChFC® Financial Advisor, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Union Square • 46 Davis Street • Bradford, PA 16701 814.368.9160
Five Steps to Feel More Confident about Your Retirement
Photo courtesy of Pitt-Bradford Pitt-Bradford instructor Steve Ellison, right, works on a machine in the Computer Information Systems and Technology program’s new lab designed to give students experience setting up a full computer system for a small business or organization. Behind Ellison are CIS&T students, from left, Austin Dunn, a sophomore from Clarendon; Douglas Elliott, a sophomore from Sinking Spring; and Justin Martinez, a senior from Miami, Fla. The new lab was made possible by two $1 million gifts to the program in the past year which will also allow Pitt-Bradford to offer concentrations/ minors, hire a third professor and offer merit scholarships for CIS&T students. can tackle the job again next year. When asked if all of this setting up and tearing down of servers would increase the wear and tear on the machines, Ellison smiled. “A little bit,” he admitted, “but that will add some trouble-shooting opportunities.” Really, troubleshooting and problem-solving is what these instructors and students seem to love most. Other CIS&T students will be learning through doing in the other half of the new lab as well, where deep work benches will give students more room to work on hardware components than they have in the program’s current multi-tasking lab. Both parts of the new lab are being made possible by two $1 million gifts to the program in the last year — one from president emeritus Dr. Richard E. McDowell and his wife, Ruth, the other from Zippo Manufacturing Co. Those gifts are funding a number of initiatives in addition to the new lab. One is a recruiting scholarship just for CIS&T freshman worth $2,500 per year and renewable for four years.
Another is the addition of a third full-time faculty member to lead one of three new areas of concentration — network security and forensics. The other two new concentration areas will be applications software development and networking and systems administration. The concentrations and minors will be available beginning this coming fall. For students who are not CIS&T majors, the new concentrations will appear on their transcript in a way that emphasizes their work in that area. Students from other majors will be able to combine the work for the concentration with prerequisite courses for a minor, an option that Don Lewicki, associate professor of business management and director of the CIS&T program, thinks will be particularly popular with business management and criminal justice students. Two sophomores in Ellison’s class, Douglas Elliott of Sinking Spring and Austin Dunn of Clarendon, both plan to add concentrations for both network security and forensics and networking and systems administrations. The
two reason that businesses that would be interested in hiring them to set up and maintain a system will also want to keep that data safe. Having an edge can only stand to help them in a field that is already lucrative for CIS&T grads. Kiplinger’s 2015 “Best Jobs for the Future 2015” predicted 23.3 percent job growth from 2014 through 2024 and a median salary of $80,059 for computer systems analysts; 23.4 percent growth and a median salary of $92,081 for the same time period for applications developers; and 32.7 percent growth and a median salary of $88,587 for information security analysts. As further evidence that the CIS&T program will only continue to grow, the program’s class of 2015 had full employment within four months of graduation. Already this year, one senior has accepted a full-time position in IT support at Upper Allegheny Health System, and an underclass student has accepted a prestigious summer internship with Google.
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It”s natural to have mixed emotions about retirement – It’s a huge life change that people spend most of their working life preparing for. While the thought of retirement is exciting, the options and advice available can sometimes seem overwhelming and complex. There are several simple things you can do if you’re feeling unprepared for your retirement years. Check out the following steps to help you get ready for this milestone. 1. Determine your vision. One of the most enjoyable parts about planning for retirement is deciding how you’ll spend your time. Though you could just be looking forward to relaxing, you may also decide to move to a different area of the country, travel, volunteer or spend more time with family and friends. Your plans can always change, but creating a list of activities you may want to pursue is a valuable and fun part of the planning process. 2. Start with the basics. Developing a written plan is the first important step, but before you get caught up in the numbers, determine what you will absolutely need to cover expenses that are truly essential. Include basics like groceries, mortgage payments, healthcare costs and other financial obligations. You may want to make a list of areas where you could cut back and reduce your expenses if you hit a financial roadblock in the future.
3. Make your plans concrete. Many people get hung up on this step, as it can come with a tough reality check. To begin, calculate how much money you’ll need to cover your essentials over the course of a 30 year retirement, and then add discretionary expenses that accompany activities and lifestyle goals – such as travel and hobbies. Be honest with yourself and try to account for cost-of-living increases and rising healthcare costs in your projections. This will give you a rough estimate of how much “income” you’ll need in retirement to replace your paycheck and achieve your desired lifestyle. Then consider all the sources you can draw this income from – such as a 401(k), annuities or cash savings. Also consider breaking this amount down into smaller goals that you can more easily prioritize, manage and track.
4. Protect your plan and your legacy. Ensure the beneficiary information on your accounts is up-to-date and that you have the right insurance and protection plans in place to safeguard your income and assets now – and for the long-term. Also begin thinking about the legacy you want to leave – to your family or to organizations that are important to you. Involve your loved ones in these conversations and clearly communicate your intentions and expectations.
5. Track your progress. As with all goals, it’s important to set milestones, check-in and reflect as you go. Keep in mind that a little time and organization goes a long way. Set aside one day each month to sit down with your finances, and also consider meeting with a legal and financial professional annually. Even if your goals still seem far away or if you’ve experienced a setback, you won’t regret spending the extra time to review your progress. This also provides a good opportunity to make adjustments if your situation or plans for the future have changed. Retirement planning can be a complicated, emotional and overwhelming process. Consider seeking objective advice from a professional financial advisor who can guide you through it and ensure you’re aware of all your options. It’s important to keep in mind that the surest way to feel confident about what’s to come is to do everything you can to prepare for it.
WILLIAM W. CHAPMAN, CFP®, MBA, ChFC®, is a Financial Advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Bradford, PA. He specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 20 years. To contact him,visit http://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/william.w.chapman/, call (814) 368-9160, or stop in his office at 46 Davis Street, Bradford PA, 16701 Annuities are not government or FDIC insured. All guarantees are based solely on the continued claims-paying ability of the issuing company. Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. Advisor is licensed/registered to do business with U.S. residents only in the states of PA, NY, NC, MD, FL, WV, TX, NJ, TN and GA. Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services many not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. © 2015 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
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