| Intellectual
Infrastructure
Frequently Asked Questions
What is
intellectual infrastructure and why is it important?
Intellectual
infrastructure refers to the human capital--the knowledge, skills, and
abilities--required for both IT development and civic involvement.
Tech
savvy business and community leaders, a skilled workforce, and the
availability of IT support services are critical to a community's
economic health in the new economy. In order to
remain competitive, is imperative that local business owners
understand how information technology can be utilized to reduce costs,
improve efficiency, provide better customer service, and expand their
markets. Businesses
also need access to a skilled workforce and IT support services.
If
a company is unable to recruit and retain skilled workers, it will be
forced to relocate all or a portion of its
operations. Many small companies do not have in-house IT departments and need to contract out a variety of IT
services. Not having IT support services available locally or
regionally can hamper the ability of local businesses to effectively
integrate IT into their business
practices.
Information
technology is also changing the way community information and
government services are being delivered. As more and more
government services are being made available online, it is important
that citizens have the knowledge and skills to access these
services.
What are some
effective strategies for building intellectual infrastructure?
Intellectual
infrastructure needs to be addressed at a number of different levels,
from the provision of basic computer training to more advanced
training. Here are some ways to build intellectual
infrastructure in your community:
Hold
an IT conference.
How are businesses using the Internet? What should I look
for in a digital camera? What can I use a PDA
for? What are my options for broadband Internet
services? Conferences are a good way to keep community
members up to date on the latest trends.
Host
brown bag lunches. Brown bag lunches with IT speakers and/or
demonstrations are another way for community members to learn about
new developments in technology.
Provide
a variety of training opportunities. In most
communities, there is a tremendous demand for introductory computer
and Internet training classes. E-commerce classes are also very
popular. Many communities have community technology centers
which offer technology classes and also provide free or low-cost
access to computers and the Internet. Very small communities can partner with
neighboring communities to make sure that training opportunities are
available in the area. In Northeast Nebraska, a
roving computer lab was used to make training opportunities available
in a seven-county area.
Involve
youth. Many young people are technology
enthusiasts. Don't overlook this often untapped
resource. Youth can build community Web pages, teach classes, or
give technology demonstrations. They can be a valuable asset on
local technology committees.
Develop
partnerships with educational providers. Building
a skilled workforce involves building community partnerships with
educational providers, including K-12 schools, ESUs, community
colleges, as well as colleges and universities. One example of an
innovative program which builds intellectual infrastructure is the
CISCO Networking Academy program.
This program trains students to be network
administrators and is currently offered in a number of Nebraska high
schools and community colleges. Community colleges in
Nebraska are expanding their IT course offerings and are often willing
to partner with businesses and communities.
Omaha
has been particularly successful at building partnerships with
educational providers. The Omaha business community, with
the full cooperation of the educational and government sectors,
created the AIM (Applied Information Management) Institute to address
IT training/workforce development needs in the area. AIM
makes available local technical training opportunities, saving members
over $100,000 a year in travel cost and time.
AIM
also facilitates discussions between corporate and business members on
how academic programs can better meet the needs of area
businesses. Omaha businesses worked with the University of
Nebraska to build the Peter Kiewit Institute, donating $47
million. The Joe Ricketts Center in Electronic Commerce
and Database Marketing at Creighton University partners with local and
national businesses to share knowledge about
e-commerce.
Support entrepreneurs. Developing home-grown
businesses is critical to the success of communities in the new
economy. Communities can foster entrepreneurship by sponsoring
entrepreneurship classes, making microloans to small businesses, and by providing
business incubator services.
If you have a question you would like included, please e-mail abyers@notes.state.ne.us
08/28/2001
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