User groups are good for everyone

Technology is changing so fast, technical people must work constantly to update their skills. Many have joined specialized user groups, which allow them to update their skills by networking with their colleagues.

But management also could benefit from these user groups.

Why should management care? The rapidly changing landscape makes it expensive to keep employees up to date on the latest advances. It also can be difficult to hire knowledgeable technical people locally.

Technology user groups are clubs of people who share a similar interest in a given technology. This area has several user groups, including Java (my group), Linux, DB2 and Macromedia. Typically, the groups hold monthly meetings where the members discuss projects they are working on, listen to guest speakers and wrap up with a question and answer session and networking. Also, the groups troubleshoot programming problems with each other through mailing lists.

Three years ago, I started a local Java users group with the help of several other people. (There is no fee to join.) We have grown from a few members to about 150. In this time, I have come to realize that the programming community includes not only the technical folks who typically participate in the groups, but also the employers and managers who decide what technologies will be used.

In an effort to promote these groups and foster better collaboration between the business and technology community, the local Java Users Group has begun working with other user groups and the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania. The idea is to have companies that are members of the technology council encourage their employees to join a group.

The council is hosting the first user group social event Oct. 14. The free event will be part of the technology councils monthly networking session, TechNet, so that we can bring together all of the user groups and introduce them to local businesses. For more information, visit the councils Web site at www.tccp.org.

I encourage you to find out more about these user groups and get involved. Join a group or encourage your employees to participate (even if the meetings are held during normal business hours). Local businesses have an enormous stake in the quality, skill and availability of local technology workers, so its in their best interest to support these groups.

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Jon Strande works as a technology consultant with Mechanicsburg-based Technical Services Associates. He can be reached at jstrande@tsagate.com.