Tech Solutions
Fall 2023
Becoming a professional
Introducing the world of tech work
The program has welcomed speakers from around the US, in fields ranging from Cybersecurity to game development, from leaders in executive coaching to CEOs of startup companies. We've visited professional environments like the Microsoft Technology Center in St. Louis, Sketch Development Services, and Lindenwood University; and we've participated in professional workshops in team building and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Associates also ...
discovered how their personality influences their work with others
visited places of work and interviewed professionals in the technology field
developed questions that connect and engage professionals in conversation
practiced agile project management methodologies to perform as self-organizing teams
created a professional toolkit, including a resume, LinkedIn profile, and a 30-second elevator pitch explaining their desired career path and how others could help
Working for a business
Working in collaborative teams, Tech Solutions associates completed a diverse set of projects for our business partners this semester.
Spark! associates ...
Engineered a Python script for a St. Louis Zoo researcher that pulled information from iNaturalist into a format that could be mapped to display animal locations around the St. Louis area
Prototyped a new look for the website of TREX
Built the beginnings of an augmented reality scavenger hunt of St. Louis using Unity and Cesium in partnership with the TREX XR Lab
Identified areas of potential real estate development interest based on environmental data in partnership with a team from Maxar Geospatial Information Systems
Created a HubSpot form plugin prototype for Sketch Development Services in partnership with their developers
Designed an early warning system for drivers while learning the design process with the xLab team, Maxar’s research and development arm
Participated in two national cyber security competitions with help from a regional "Capture the Flag" champion who also develops international CTFs
Moved through the tech product design process, working with mentors from WWT to develop a prototype that helps better connect students to announcements and after school homework assistance
Learned IT systems and support procedures by shadowing Parkway Technology professionals, assisting them on a number of projects within the district
Crafted websites for local entrepreneurs who receive coaching from the SCORE organization, providing a digital "front door" for local small businesses
Transformed a locally-created board game into a mobile experience, creating a prototype of how players could engage the game in a new way
Pursuing personal interests
In Tech Solutions, associates get to choose what content they want to learn by creating a personal passion project, or PPP for short. This year, associates have pursued a variety of learning paths, including:
Began work on professional certificates, including:
Google Data Analytics
Cisco Cybersecurity Career Pathway
Google Project Management
Google Cybersecurity
AWS Cloud Engineer
Harvard’s CS50x
Captured and produced short-form films
Designed and tested AI models
Tested business models that leverage web resources to sell products, promote wellness, and provide 3D printing services
Transformed 2D illustrations into animated characters
Developed a variety of video game prototypes using engines as diverse as Unity3D, Godot, and Minecraft
Pursued learning new coding languages, including ..
Python
JavaScript
Advanced HTML and CSS
Swift
Writing our own professional stories
Whether talking with speakers, visiting with mentors, or working for clients, Spark! Tech Associates are well on their way to producing as young technology professionals.
