2020 Podcasts, Publications, and More: The Free Resources IT Pros and Tech Employers Use to Stay Informed
Each day seems to bring a new trend, statistic, or best practice geared toward the technology industry. The sector moves so fast it can be hard to keep up, which is why you need trusted resources you can rely on.
The CorSource blog strives to be one of those resources for you, but we don’t do it alone. In addition to our trove of firsthand knowledge that we love to share, there are a number of publications out there that we respect. Whether you’re an IT professional looking to progress your career or are a business leader trying to stay on the forefront of the technology world, the following resources will help grant you a full picture of the industry.
Technology Podcasts
With podcasts exploding in popularity, their variety is increasing. They’re no longer limited to topics such as true crime, celebrity interviews, or general news. Whether you listen during your commute or while you take care of chores, here are three podcasts that provide excellent IT insights.
- The Future of Everything: The Wall Street Journal’s podcast is free for all, not just subscribers. With a mission to take an “in-depth look at how science and technology is revolutionizing the way we live, work, and play,” the episodes do a great job of connecting technology to its real-world implications. Take special note of their episodes dedicated to Artificial Intelligence.
- Accidental Tech Podcast: Hosted by three developers, this is a wide-ranging podcast that will make you feel like you’re hanging out with old friends. Conversations range from breaking down programming languages to reviewing the latest keyboards, which helps keep these 2+ hour podcasts informative and entertaining.
- HBR IdeaCast: While not every episode is focused on technology, Harvard Business Review’s podcast is an excellent one to follow. In addition to general business and career advice, it has featured informative topics like the “How One CEO Successfully Led a Digital Transformation” and “Fixing Tech’s Gender Gap.” Typically under half an hour, IdeaCast is a great podcast for just before bed or first thing in the morning.
Technology Blogs
Blogs and articles dedicated to the technology sector number in the thousands. There’s a lot of noise in this arena specifically, but there are also some tried and tested websites that are respected everywhere. We’ve categorized just a few of the most helpful blogs for you below.
- National publications with business angles: While you might already be familiar with them, these are the types of sources that are the most popular for a reason. Forbes, CIO, and the Harvard Business Review provide regular updates that are relevant to business leaders and tech pros alike.
- Tech-heavy blogs: Sometimes you need to read something that digs in deeper and speaks your language. In that case, turn to TechCrunch, TechRepublic, and ZDNet.
- Research, statistics, and reports: When you just want to see some hard facts, insightful surveys of your peers, or analytics-based reports, you’re in luck. Dice, McKinsey, Gartner, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics websites will give you data that helps inform your business or career decisions.
- Portland-centric articles: In order to stay in tune with local market trends, it’s always a great idea to keep Portland-area publications on your reading list. At CorSource, we’re big fans of the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) and their blog that recaps notable tech news items each week. Additionally, the Portland Business Journal (limited number of free articles per month) and The Oregonian are great for local coverage.
Online Technology Courses
Even the sharpest minds in technology will lose a step if they don’t continuously learn and develop new skills. Lifelong learning is a best practice for anyone in the industry. Luckily, there are many free courses on the internet available at whatever time and place works for you.
- edX is a platform home to over 20 million learners and contains many free courses from major universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Berkeley. No matter your level of experience in IT, there’s a self-paced course for you.
- Udacity is similar to edX, except it focuses almost exclusively on training in development, programming, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing.
- Alison is yet another place to hone your IT skills for free. With 13 million users and certificates for a number of technology specialties, it can do wonders for rounding out your resume or helping you lead your company’s IT function.
- CBT Nuggets is a longstanding Oregon company with a comprehensive library of IT training materials. Whether you’re looking for a certification for yourself or want your team to brush up on a certain program, CBT Nuggets has engaging courses to explore during a free week trial.
- As you look online for convenient courses to take, don’t forget about local Portland-based events and classes. While you can’t attend these from the comfort of your home, they’re excellent ways to expand your professional network and learn from peers in our community.
Technology YouTube Channels
You might already use YouTube to watch sports highlights or learn how to fix your dishwasher, but the platform has many valuable uploads geared toward any technology niche. Check out one of the following channels to get a sense of what’s out there.
- freeCodeCamp has 1.6 million subscribers and presents in-depth tutorials on a number of subjects. Need a 15-hour video on network penetration testing? You’ve come to the right place.
- The Coding Train is another valuable resource focused on coding and programming. This channel often keeps videos below 20 minutes, making them more digestible than others.
- Black Hat contains a video on nearly every cybersecurity topic. Most videos are a cross between TED Talk and tutorial, making them engaging and relatable.
- CBT Nuggets, mentioned above, regularly updates their informative YouTube channel. Completely free, their videos are sharp and succinct with an average runtime under 10 minutes.
2020 Technology Industry Resources
In 2020, there is more information at our fingertips than ever. The above free technology industry resources are only a fraction of what’s out there. Find your favorite resources to keep up with and you’ll be able to turn that information into personal knowledge while boosting your career or business.
Want to talk shop with people who relate to you? Reach out to us today and let’s chat.
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