In 1989 a group of corporate, educational and government entities, seeking insight into how to strengthen the Nebraska business environment, commissioned several studies, all of which documented the need to bring focus to the region's information infrastructure.

That initial research prompted the creation of Applied Information Management (AIM) Institute in 1992 with 25 corporate, educational and governmental members and one employee, Dr. Robert Sweeney. The new organization was housed at USWEST (later Qwest Communications) and funded entirely through the support of its business members. 

Building an IT Workforce

Initially, we were charged with supporting economic development by addressing the issues that had hindered companies from applyng state-of-the-art information technology to their operations. We focused on the need to build up the area's IT workforce and to help keep its skill set up to date with emerging technology. Specifically, our Board of Directors asked us to focus on:

Research – Our early research focused on the area's shortfall of IT workers relative to the robust demand, leading to a search for solutions and legislative proposals.

 

Continuing Education – To help meet area employers' IT skill requirements, we built up a dynamic training staff and focused on emerging technologies. Our staff was the first in Omaha to train workers and faculty Java in 1996, Cisco network technology in 1998, Linux in 2001, and other IT topics.

 

Information Technology Curriculum – We worked with corporate sponsors to encourage local universities to offer client-server and more robust communications curriculums in 1993. AIM became a regional Cisco Academy in 1998, introducing the program to high schools and training their faculty. That same year we introduced several colleges to the Global Wireless Education Consortium, a resource for wireless curriculum materials.

 

Labor Availability – We won our first grant in 1994 to match students with local internship opportunities and created an electronic matching system, using emerging Web technology. The matching program was so successful, that in 1995 five firms asked if they could post full-time positions. From those humble beginnings, our successful fee-based job-posting service, Careerlink.com, was born.

 

Broadening Our Focus

While AIM still supports its original four focus areas, today we are reaching out to the greater Nebraska region and beyond, broadening the horizons of at-risk youth, and helping people transition to new careers as old ones disappear.

IT Leadership – AIM continues to play a lead role in helping the region to focus on its IT strategies and highlighting best practices and successes. Not only have we continued our research with 18 studies in all, our management team has served on state government panels and committees, worked with professional organizations, and continues to provide leadership support to the area's premier technology show, Infotec®. We have also continued to feature the region's best IT leaders, educators, and students through our annual Information Technology Celebration Banquet and Awards Ceremony since 1994.

 

Supporting IT Education – AIM continues to offer professional training for educators and corporate IT professionals; however, we have expanded our focus on younger students, as key to fulfilling our region's long-term workforce needs and in helping our youth reach their full potential.

 

Beginning in 1994 with a summer course — CyberCamp — aimed at high school students, we have greatly expanded our partnerships with schools to secure grant funding to introduce students at the middle- and high-school levels to IT careers and to encourage them to stay in school and go on to college. In 2000 we introduced our Virtual Career Center, used in schools across the country to help students explore career possibilities.

In 2001 we helped form a consortium of 10 community colleges in Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota to stay abreast of emerging IT skills requirements needed by the region's employers. Known as the Midwest Center for Information Technology, the group also works to attract students to enroll in IT programs and helps them succeed in completing their degrees.

 

Workforce Development – Today, our employee recruitment service, Careerlink.com, matches job seekers with more than 2,000 regional employers, but true to its roots, it continues to advertise job fairs, internships, and volunteer positions free of charge. At the urging of other communities, we have expanded this service well beyond Nebraska. 

Community Growth – Our reach now extends to rural areas through the Nebraska Cyberseed Program. Since 2004, we have helped community leaders build a vision of how technology can best serve community needs; have evaluated technology infrastructure gaps and have worked with local service providers to close the gaps; and have provided small-business owners with technical assistance in applying IT or eCommerce solutions to their businesses. 

 

Individual Empowerment – We have branched out to bring the power of IT to people seeking education, a new career, or perhaps a way to market their "great idea." In 2000 we and our community partners secured funding for the creation of 12 Community Technology Centers to provide computer labs for individual use and training in low-income areas. In 2002 AIM opened  Educational Opportunity Centers in western Nebraska to help people learn about careers and receive assistance in enrolling in college programs. We offer training in eBay so that individuals can learn how to market their products on the Internet. And we provide our Virtual Career Center to all job seekers to explore career opportunities and to learn how to apply for jobs.

 

Moving Forward

Frequently, our Evaluation Services group helps organizations seek ways to sustain their new programs beyond the initial grant funding. We have tried to practice what we've preached. For in contrast to those early days when we received 100 percent of our funding through corporate benevolence, we now primarily rely on our own mission-based services to provide the funds to move forward. Today, our job-posting, grant management, evaluation, and training services provide more than 90 percent of our revenue.

And we no longer rely on Qwest's generosity for office space. In 2005 we purchased the former Omaha Grain Exchange Building at 1905 Harney Street, where we not only house our staff but have also created a computer lab for training services and have plenty of room left over for tenants. For many years the Exchange Building served as an economic engine for the grain farmers in this region. Today, it once again plays a strong role in the region's economic vitality as AIM's headquarters.

We have been honored to work with thousands of students, educators, business owners, executives, and public servants across the region and across the United States. We look forward to continuing our work with our old and new partners as the information age evolves and brings new challenges and opportunities. We invite you to explore our programs, services, and resources described on our website and hope you, too, will consider becoming a partner with us in this great adventure!