Conference Season!

This month has been another big one in the TikTech Solutions office. I've been working a lot on our video conferencing project with my colleagues Pam & Gerry. 

We have been busily working on a stand for the Local Government Professionals Conference in Perth later this week, we're very excited about growing the BeingThere Local Government Video Conference Network.  So if you're a member of the Local Government Professionals Association (WA) and are heading to the annual conference, be sure to drop in to check out the LG Dating Service and say G'day to them both, but make sure you get the lowdown on our exciting new network! 
If it weren't for my own exciting travels this week I'd be feeling a little isolated from all the fun! But I've been asked to skip over to Sydney by the Australian Senior's Computer Club Association for their annual conference. I must say, I'm a little excited at the prospect of attending in person, the only other time I've been to an ASSCA Conference, was via my BeingThere link from my desk in the CRC a few years ago. 

---

This time, I'll be a delegate heading into what promises to be a buzzing hive of techy enthusiasm for increasing the digital literacy of the over 55s.  The group are very keen to facilitate growth in the numbers of, and support to, Seniors Computer Clubs here in WA.  I'm excited at the prospect of infecting more people with confidence and enthusiasm about technology, particularly those who are not traditionally the most eager to uptake new technology. 
It is becoming increasingly important that all Australians have sound digital literacy skills. There's a very real desire in Government (at all levels) to switch many of their services to online services.  Everything. Births, Deaths, Marriages, e-Health, transport services, Police Reports, the lot. There's very little help to those who aren't 'digital natives'.  Everyone is just expected to 'get it'!  If you are anything like my family, you're not necessarily close to your tech savvy family, geographically speaking, or it could be that tempers wear thin trying to teach those we love things like reversing trailers and using the computer or phone!  ;)
Thats where CRCs, Neighbourhood Centres and family come into play. I've lost count of the number of travellers who were away from their 'tech support' on their trip of a lifetime to the Kimberley during my CRC days, only to have their technology either fail them, or not do what was expected or taught. That's the thing with technology, when it's doing what it's supposed to and playing nicely - it's FANTASTIC!  But when it's not, it's important to be confident in exploring what might be wrong. Even if it just means you can confidently say to the computer technicians (when that is all that's left to do!) we tried X, Y & Z.  If nothing else, it might save you some dollars if you've done the preliminary elimination of potential issues. 
So it's off to Sydney for me.  I've only ever been twice before so I'm making a bit of a holiday of it too. I can't wait.  The bonus is, I'll have some time to get to the Apple Store to get my mitts on the new iPhone X! ;) 
Standby for THAT blog post in a few weeks time!  In the meantime I'm off to book my bridge climb, happy troubleshooting folks! ​

---