NetCom Learning, the leading technology and business skills center, announced it will host the “iBusiness 2012: Differentiate Yourself, Transform Your Future” to show young professionals of any field how they can become business leaders by mastering the ever-changing technology environment in their industry. The event will be held from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Microsoft Headquarters, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, in New York City, and will include a host of sought-after speakers who are the MVPs of business leaders.

Young professionals of any industry can learn how to be the first in their industry to know about the leading business technology trends and the secrets that keep Fortune 500 companies ahead of the competition. iBusiness 2012 will explain the advantages of getting to know business technologies such as unified communication and collaboration, unified business intelligence strategies and cloud computing, and how to navigate the constantly changing business technology environment, said Russell Sarder, Business Magnate, award-winning Author, and CEO at NetCom Learning.

“Every industry in the workforce uses technology. So it’s critical to learn the skills that will allow you not only to stay on top of the ever-advancing IT market, but also to know how to apply those solutions to your field. Being able to adapt to the latest technology is the best way to become a leader in your business industry,” Sarder said.

The event is timely considering a recent Financial Times article explaining the existence of a skills gap between the skills that companies need and the training that schools and universities are providing the workforce. According to statistics from a 2011 Robert Half Technology survey, 51 percent of CIOs say it’s challenging for their companies to find skilled IT professionals. Additionally, a 2009 ASTD Skills Gap poll taken by 1,179 organizations showed that 79 percent said there is a skill gap in their organization. The need to confront the skills gap with directed education is so important that President Obama emphasized it during the State of the Union address held on January 25th.

This skills gap is caused by a variety of influences, not least among them the fact that jobs are simply changing. Factors like globalization, IT revaluation and the impact of technology and internet connectivity are having an impact as well. A change in workforce demographics has also had an influence, especially since 27 percent of the current workforce is coming from the Net Generation (1977 to present) and bringing with them a different work and learning style.

One of the biggest influences, however, is unprepared college graduates. Companies are requiring workers to have more knowledge, training and skills, and universities aren’t always equipped to train in the latest IT innovations because the IT industry evolves so fast.

The iBusiness 2012 event will feature speakers like Sarder; Savio Chan, CEO of U.S. China Partners; Joey Snow, Senior Technical Evangelist for the Worldwide Developer and Platform team at Microsoft; Chris Martin, Talent Management Strategist in the Fortune 1000 marketplace; Sam Polsky, subject matter expert and trainer at NetCom Learning; and Alison Cunard, General Manager for Sales and Marketing, Microsoft Learning. Cunard leads the sales and marketing team that enables skills development for millions of people globally.

“It’s an exciting time for technology. Today’s rapid changes and innovations in technology touch every industry globally, making it imperative to stay up to date on technical skills. I’m thrilled see the IT industry embracing the skills development initiative, which will help people and businesses succeed today and into the future,” Cunard said.

Valued at $300, seats can be reserved today for just $30. Learn more about the conference speakers, topics and agenda, and make reservations at http://www.netcomlearning.com/workshops/22512/iBusiness-2012-Differentiate-yourself-Transform-your-future-training.html

About NetCom Learning
NetCom Learning is a premier provider of IT and business-training solutions to companies, individuals, and government agencies. Since its inception in 1998, NetCom Learning has trained over 80 percent of the Fortune 100, serviced over 45,500 business customers, and advanced the skills of more than 71,000 professionals through hands-on, expert-led training, with the organization maintaining an average instructor evaluation score of 8.6 out of 9. NetCom Learning was recognized by Microsoft Corporation as its Worldwide Training Partner of the Year and named twice to Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest growing private companies in America. The organization was also recently named to the 2011 IT Training Companies Watch List by TrainingIndustry.com.