Urban Minority Teens Name Computer-Related Jobs As 3 of Their Top 10 Desired Careers
Urban Minority Teens Name Computer-Related Jobs As 3 of Their Top 10 Desired Careers
Survey by Creating IT Futures Foundation Examines Teen Views of Tech Careers
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In its Survey of Teen Views on Tech Careers, IT Futures Labs, a signature initiative of the Creating IT Futures Foundation, researched how low- to middle-income urban African American and Hispanic teens, as well as parents, regard information technology (IT) jobs, college and future careers.
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Three types of jobs in information technology – software programmer, computer technician and computer design engineer – ranked in the top ten of teens’ career interests from among 60 career categories, from business and law to music and sports. The teens surveyed also believed that with hard work and/or innate talent, they could be successful in IT careers. This new research will help parents and educators understand how to inform and motivate youth to choose a path toward well-paying tech careers.
“Constrained by limited resources, schools and after-school programs in urban areas often focus attention on the kids at risk of dropping out of high school or the high academic achievers who are on a four-year college path. The academically average students are often left to find their own way. Our research study looks at these kids in the middle, whom we know can achieve solid career success in the practical, hands-on world of IT given the right motivation and opportunities,” said Charles Eaton, CEO, Creating IT Futures Foundation. “We found that urban minority teens have a strong affinity for technology and a desire to work directly with technology in a career.”
The surveyed teens were all B and C students in good standing in their junior or senior year of high school. The teens overwhelmingly indicated college was a high priority and that they wanted to feel connected to a career—not just punch a clock. “Having a job I love” was ranked number one by teens in terms of goals to accomplish over the next decade.
Plus, altruistic aspirations such as contributing money or housing to parents or “helping other people” tended to rank just as high as or even higher with the teens than, “having a lot of money,” “owning my own home,” or “moving into a better neighborhood.” Motivational career messaging targeted at urban minority teens may miss this altruism angle.
IT Career Myths
In terms of advice on college and careers, teens reportedly rely on parents 2-to-1 over any other source, according to the survey. But myths about the necessity of four-year degrees and needing to be a whiz in math and science still persist in the minds of teens and parents alike.
“Parents should recognize and capitalize on their strong influence with their teenagers,” said Eric Larson, director, IT Futures Labs, Creating IT Futures Foundation. “Don’t assume that your messages about college and careers are getting through. Parents intentionally need to set aside more time to discuss careers with their kids. They also need to learn more about tech careers and spot the myths that get in the way of their students becoming technologists.”
The Creating IT Futures Foundation, CompTIA and other IT organizations have long maintained that a four-year degree, while potentially beneficial in the long run, is not the only way to get started in an IT career. A student also doesn’t have to be a top achiever in math and science to be successful in IT. Instead, Creating IT Futures recommends that teens and parents explore IT training options at two-year-degree institutions and non-profit training programs as well as on-the-job training opportunities with local employers. Teens also should become familiar with IT certifications offered by CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft and other certifying bodies.
Based on the survey results, Creating IT Futures recommends that educators and school counselors:
- Rethink their marketing of tech careers to teens.
- Develop and promote hands-on tech programs.
- Help parents provide career guidance.
- Clarify what IT means so that teens understand the diverse options available in technology.
Methodology
Creating IT Futures conducted qualitative, ethnographic research in 2013 among a limited number of Chicago area teens and parents. That ethnographic research helped inform the questions for a follow-up 2014 quantitative national survey of more than 300 eleventh- and twelfth-graders and an equivalent number of adults who parent at least one eleventh- or twelfth-grader.
The full survey is available at http://www.creatingitfutures.org/download-teen-whitepaper. A PowerPoint summarizing the survey is available at http://www.slideshare.net/comptia/teen-views-on-tech-careers-45240206.
About the Creating IT Futures Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of CompTIA, the Creating IT Futures Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission of helping populations under-represented in the information technology industry and individuals who are lacking in opportunity to prepare for, secure and be successful in IT careers. IT Futures Labs researches, develops, tests and launches innovative non-profit job training programs tailored for the IT sector. Learn more at CreatingITFutures.org.
Celebrating 9 years of MegaTV hits
Celebrating 9 years of MegaTV hits
–MegaTV is catching on with millennial youth in the U.S.
and Puerto Rico with its campaign of “Subele el Volumen a la Mega [Turn Up the Volume on la Mega]” by Jencarlos Canela during the month of celebration
“Subele el volumen a la Mega“, is an exclusive jingle for MegaTV based on the new tune “Bajito” by Jencarlos Canela, featuring KY-Mani Marley and produced by MAFFIO.
MIAMI, March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — (SBS/MegaTV) — The big day has arrived. MegaTV is celebrating 9 years of history since it became the first TV channel in Miami to broadcast in high definition, in addition to offering its exclusive content nationally via DIRECTV. MegaTV is a dream founded by communications leader Raul Alarcon on March 6, 2006. Since its beginnings, the famed TV station has featured first-class talent that has given its all day after day to the delight of millions of viewers nationwide.
From its earliest days, MegaTV has been unwavering in offering high quality content to its viewers, who honor our diverse programming with their viewing loyalty. MegaTV continues to position itself as the fast-growing young Hispanic network in the United States.
For this occasion, MegaTV has organized a number of events in which it will showcase the new productions that will be premiering in coming months.
“We give you our most sincere thanks for staying with us, and invite you not to miss a single minute of our programming that we have prepared with much love for our faithful audience, and we ask you to keep on giving us the opportunity to make you laugh and cry day in day out,” commented Albert Rodriguez COO of SBS.
Thanks to you, MegaTV is consolidating its position once again as an alternative channel for the millennial in the United States, and it is one of the few that remains unwavering in its commitment to bringing the best to consumers, which has made MEGATV Your Channel! ¡La Mega se Pega! [La Mega is Catching on!]
As part of the celebration, MegaTV, is about to strike again with the release this week of the campaign, “Subele el Volumen a la Mega,” as it says in the new jingle sung by popular young talent Jencarlos Canela. The network’s exclusive jingle has a catchy rhythm, the distinctive signature of all MegaTV campaigns, and can only be seen if you tune into “La Mega.”
This image campaign is yet another score for MegaTV and executive Maria I. Montoya, Vice President for Programming and Creative Services (On Air Promotions), creator of the popular campaign “La Mega se Pega“ “When I heard Jencarlos’ theme song, ‘Bajito,'” she said, “it won me over right away, and I asked for us to create an exclusive version for MegaTV, “Subele el Volumen a La Mega” is an invitation, especially to the millennial generation, to tune into our channel and discover the best option for Hispanic TV in the United States and Puerto Rico.”
The video for the campaign was produced by Montoya’s creative direction and MegaTV‘s On-Air Promotions crew. It projects a youthful image with a style that is both urban and refined at the same time, unmistakable stamp of the screens of “La Mega,” as the network is commonly known.
The tune “Bajito” that animates the campaign was written by Jencarlos Canela, and is her new single, produced by multi-award winning producer Maffio, with the musical collaboration of singer KY-MANI Marley, daughter of the legendary Bob Marley.
MegaTV, the television division of Spanish Broadcasting System Inc. (SBS) (Nasdaq:SBSA) is proud to present this innovative campaign addressed to the millennial generation in the United States during the network’s month of celebration.
“Subele el Volumen a la Mega” is exclusively available via MegaTV: Channel 22 in Miami, Channel 9.2 Orlando, Channel 55 Houston, TX, Channel 33.1 Fresno, Channel 12 Liberty and Channel 20 Choice in Puerto Rico, Channel 169 of DIRECTV in Puerto Rico. Channel 405 of DIRECTV in the main cities of the United States, Channel 25 in Dallas,TX, Verizon Fios, Channel 466 in Tampa, FL, Verizon Fios, Channel 466 in NY, NJ and Greenwich, CT in Verizon Fios, Channel 473 in Los Angeles, CA, and Channel 3008 of AT&T U-verse in the main cities of the United States.
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SBS-MEGATV MEDIA AND PRESS CONTACT: Vladimir Gomez Big Time Media/SBS-MEGATV (786) 510-8841 @VladyGomez @BigTimeMedia |
NOTE TO EDITORS: A high-resolution image is available at: http://hispanicprwire.com/en/multimedia/
Any Cup, Any Way, Any Day: 7-Eleven® Launches 7Rewards Loyalty Platform on App
DALLAS, March 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — 7-Eleven, Inc. wants its customers to drink up … because the more often they do, the more FREE coffee, Big Gulp®, Slurpee® and Chillers® drinks they’ll earn. Just launched on the 7-Eleven® mobile app is 7Rewards, an expanded customer loyalty platform that rewards customers with a free beverage for every six cups purchased.
Best of all, 7Rewards counts every 7-Eleven beverage – hot or cold – served in a 7-Eleven cup toward the seventh free. That means any six cups – any size and any drink – whether it’s a large Chillers Iced Coffee or a small Slurpee drink.
“7-Eleven is a beverage destination for millions of Americans, with over 60 percent of our customers including a beverage with each purchase,” said Laura Gordon, 7-Eleven vice president of marketing and brand innovation. “We know that millennials like to have plenty of choices and, hands down, 7Rewards offers more beverage variety than any other rewards program.”
To participate in the new 7Rewards program, customers must use 7-Eleven’s mobile app, available in the iTunes App Store or Google Play, and register as a member. In anticipation of 7Rewards, 7-Eleven updated its app to move the member’s scannable barcode and digital punch card to the home screen for easier use.
Every time a customer purchases a cup, the cashier will scan the barcode in the app, and a “punch” will automatically appear within the app. Each purchase earns a punch that shows up as a star icon in the app. After receiving six punches, or stars, a “You earned a free cup” notification appears in the app. The punchcard process starts over once the free beverage is redeemed. Links to Facebook and Twitter on the app’s home screen let the user tell their friends about their rewards.
“We have customers who come in every morning, like clockwork, for a fresh-brewed cup of 7-Eleven coffee, while others regularly treat themselves to a Slurpee or Big Gulp drink,” Gordon said. “If you come in every day, scan your 7Rewards app barcode, you can get one free drink a week or even more, and that’s our way of saying ‘thanks’ to our customers and letting them get more of what they want at 7-Eleven.”
Coffee was 7-Eleven stores’ first venture into serve-yourself beverages. The retailer was also the first to introduce self-serve soft drink fountains and is the exclusive retailer of the iconic, thirst-quenching Slurpee beverage.
7 REASONS WHY 7REWARDS IS THE BEST WAY TO EARN FREE DRINKS
- Buy 6-Get 7. Only six cups to get one free … not 10, not 12, not 711.
- Any cup, any drink. Mix and match your favorite 7-Eleven drinks – all of them. Like Coffee-Slurpee-Big Gulp-Chillers Iced Coffee-Slurpee-Slurpee … 7th drink FREE! Or Coffee-Coffee-Coffee-Coffee-Coffee-Coffee … 7th drink FREE!
- Any cup, any size. Mix and match cup sizes too, no restrictions. Like Small-Small-Small-Small-Small-Super Big Gulp … 7th drink FREE!
- Every cup counts. Not one per shopping trip or one per day. Coffee in the morning, Big Gulp at lunch, Slurpee after school, a Chiller later on – all count. Buy six cups at once and the next time, it’s free. Heck, bring seven drinks to the register at one time and the seventh one is on the house.
- Refills count too. Have a refillable coffee or Slurpee mug? Each refill counts as one punch.
- That free drink? Also any cup, any size, any drink. So what if you bought six small Slurpee drinks. That seventh free cup can be an extra-large coffee or the biggest of Big Gulps. And if you have earned a free beverage and check out with both a small cup and a big cup, the free one will be the one with the greatest value.
- It’s easy. The 7-Eleven smartphone app does all the work. When the 7-Eleven cashier scans the member’s 7Rewards barcode in the 7-Eleven app for each cup purchased, it tabulates the number of cups toward the free one and notifies when a 7Rewards drink is earned. The number of cups – and 7Rewards – adds up fast.
About 7-Eleven, Inc.
7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses some 10,500 7-Eleven® stores in North America. Globally, there are more than 55,000 7-Eleven stores in 16 countries. During 2013, 7-Eleven stores generated total worldwide sales close to $84.5 billion. 7-Eleven has been honored by a number of companies, organizations and publications. Recent accolades include: Entrepreneur magazine ranked 7-Eleven as #1 on its 2014 Global Franchise Rankings list and #10 on its “Top 10 Franchises” for 2015, #2 on Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Companies for 2013; and #3 in Forbes magazine’s 2012 Top 20 Franchises to Start list. 7-Eleven is No. 3 on Fast Company magazine’s 2013 list of the “World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Retail,” among the Top Veteran-Friendly Companies for 2013 by U.S. Veterans Magazine and on GI Jobs magazine’s Top 100 Military Friendly Employers for 2014. 7-Eleven is franchising its stores in the U.S. and expanding through organic growth, acquisitions and its Business Conversion Program. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.
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