and innovation , as we are forced to be creative with what we have . These innovations are destined to transform how we conduct business and almost every other facet of life , from how we communicate and educate , to how we seek medical care and more .” – Damian Costantino
“ We can ’ t deny the personal , emotional and economic toll that COVID-19 has had on all of us . COVID-19 has accelerated the use and adoption of technologies that , while some previously available , were not widely used . These cloud-based and collaboration tools allowed many businesses to stay ‘ on ’ as they transitioned to remote / virtual operations in response to stay-at-home orders . In a way , COVID-19 established a natural experiment where IT organizations were able to test and embrace technologies that in the recent past they were uncertain about , due to perceived security risks .” – Jorge E . Garcia
CHRISTINE
BIGWOOD
“ COVID-19 affected the tech industry in many ways . One of the most notable things was the attempt to provide digital equity amongst students . More industries began utilizing VR as a training tool . Smart glasses with Internet connection and seethrough lens that overlay digital information will allow team leaders to communicate with an employee on a jobsite while seeing what the worker is seeing . When we initially started , we depended on physical contact to provide our services . Due to COVID , we had to pivot and provide services through online virtual conferences .” – Juan J . Rodriguez
“ In terms of cybersecurity , COVID-19 has taken the already difficult situation of remaining secure and made it exponentially more challenging by forcing many businesses to rapidly convert their employees into a remote workforce . This tectonic shift in the work environment combined with cyber criminals ’ new and insidious attack vectors have required me to adjust my approach to our clients ’ security needs , adapting solutions to not only this new reality , but what lies beyond it .” – Kevin Ricci
“ COVID-19 has accelerated the collaborative nature of technology . We have been historically focused on how we can execute from anywhere , at any time . This acceleration of remote service has brought the conversation we have with clients full circle . In the past , we would expound the advantages of our remote capabilities , but today clients are initiating these focal points .” – Manuel Lobao
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG FOLKS WHO ARE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY ?
“ If someone is looking to make a difference in the world , I think technology is a great choice ! Technology has made a variety of services more accessible to more people . Technology isn ’ t just computers anymore . It touches so many aspects of people ’ s lives and it ’ s an exciting place to be as it ’ s constantly changing .” – Aditya Arora
“ Get ready . Technology is forever evolving and super exciting , but , most importantly , it ’ s extremely rewarding when you realize the differences you can make with it . Regardless of which career path you choose , or have already chosen , if you have a passion for technology , always seek to identify how you can best use it in your role to create a long-lasting , positive impact on your organization and your customers .” – Brandon Casey
“ You may not land your dream job out of college , it may take you a few years to figure out what you want ,
62 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l NOVEMBER 2020