Events Calendar

This course is focused entirely on equipping you with tools that apply directly to professional web development. By the end of 6 weeks, you’ll be creating beautiful apps and understanding web development fundamentals for both front and back end. If you’re interested in learning to code, communicating with your dev team, understanding how to create an MVP or gaining valuable career skills, this course is for you.

The course will start May 8^th and run Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6-9pm in the MVP Lab until June 14^th. If you’re interested in attending, the link to apply is https://www.lighthouselabs.ca/apply.

Presenting yourself effectively is an essential tool in the business arena. A well-executed elevator pitch can, and will make sales, help generate capital, and lead to valuable partnerships. The 60-Second Pitch Competition, presented by TechAlliance allows our members and the community at large to learn this important skill that we consider essential to growing a business. Join us for the 2017 60-Second Pitch Workshop to learn how to craft your perfect pitch and take your business to the next level.

The 60-Second Pitch Workshop is the first of a two part initiative. The Competition portion will follow on June 22nd where those selected will have the opportunity to present their company pitches in front of a panel of judges, American Idol-style for thousands of dollars in business accelerations services.

We are delighted to welcome Anna Foat as our workshop facilitator for 2017!

Anna believes that engaging employees in practical solution design creates a problem-solving mindset critical to future-proof large organizations. After a decade inside BlackBerry (1999-2011), and a subsequent role at IBM as Worldwide Managing Editor of IBM MobileFirst Platform she has an earned wide angle view of the opportunities and the challenges facing companies growing, adapting and disrupting. She ran her own consultancy, Big Dog Sales Consulting, and was the Executive-in-Residence for the Fierce Female Founders at Communitech – the first female accelerator in Canada. Anna joined Future Design School in the fall of 2016 to take lessons learned on both sides of the spectrum to inspire and challenge status quo thinking inside large organizations, directly engage employees looking to have an impact and to provide a path forward and the tools necessary for success.

Register for the 60-Second Pitch Workshop below. The application for the Competition will open at techalliance.ca following the workshop. 

This is an introductory overview of asynchronous (async) programing with Jquery and ES6 promises. Asynchronous JS is the at the heart of most major frontend frameworks right now, if you are interested in working with things like AngularJS, React,js or Vue.js you will need to know this stuff ! I am going to mentor you through a few foundational concepts that I wish I had had someone around to teach me when I was learning them.
As opposed to a lecture, the session format favors interactivity. You can ask questions at any point. Rather than just taking notes, you’re encouraged to try out the code on the spot, which is the best way to retain knowledge.

This session will cover all the important stuff in depth, including:

-Sending async requests with JQuery,
-ES6 Promises,
-.then(), what it means and what it is doing,
-Promise.all()

Those who RSVP will receive instructions on how to prepare for the session.

Space is limited, so if you’re not absolutely sure you’ll come, don’t register until you are sure, and if something comes up, un-register or otherwise advise us, please. No-shows will not be able to participate in any of our free presentations in the future and that’s sad!

RSVP for the event here.

Publisher is good for creating brochures, flyers, booklets, name tags, and more. See how it differs from Word and why it is a better option for creating these particular documents. We will touch on tips to quickly assemble your publications with minimal fuss.

Note: Attendees who bring their own laptop will receive a discount. If you require a laptop for the session, please select the ticket that states “LAPTOP NEEDED”.

Why attend:
Ask a question – get an answer

Have a refreshment and relax

Chat with others who also have questions

Get a discount on a future course or one-on-one session

Register Here.

MS Office users – bring your questions to our team. We are offering free open office hours to help you answer a question and/or direct you to the appropriate course.

Word ~ Excel ~ PowerPoint ~ Publisher ~ OneNote ~ Outlook ~ OneDrive ~ Visio

You are also welcome to drop in and listen to questions that others may have and/or see how others are using these products.

Note: We must be fair to all drop in participants. If a question requires a more in-depth answer or requires a full training session to teach then we will direct you to the appropriate course or a one-on-one session (discounts will be offered to participants).

Registration is recommended. You are welcome to send us your question ahead of time. We will restrict this to one question per participant unless there is time (who knows – someone else may ask your other questions!).

You are welcome to bring your laptop, especially if you have a file that is relevant to your question. Specific examples are always best.

If you would like to use one of our laptops for the session, please select the ticket that states “LAPTOP NEEDED”.
During all of our free training sessions, we welcome donations to a community charity/non-profit organization. This week all donations will go toward The Boys and Girls Club of London.

Why attend:
Ask a question – get an answer

Have a refreshment and relax

Chat with others who also have questions

Get a discount on a future course or one-on-one session

Register Here.

Join us for a Live Webcast Google Partners Connect

During this event, our partners at Google discuss the importance of digital marketing for the Classifieds and Local Industries, share trends, research and insights that can help you reach your audience in all their moments of need.

Speakers at this event:

RSVP for the event here.

This is a reprise of our May 17 workshop.

Here are some SurveyMonkey comments from attendees of the first edition:

“I learned a bunch of stuff I didn’t know about” – Rachel

“good and useful information -you have obviously been in the business for a while: it was good to hear about how you have learned things, including the difficult lessons” – Kerry

This hands-on presentation is for anyone interested in promoting their business in the 21 st century! The workshop format will be highly interactive, encouraging attendees to ask questions anytime during the session. Attendees will also be encouraged to use their mobile devices to view resources and an overhead projector would be used to reinforce the topics presented (free Wi-Fi if you need it)

The workshop”s purpose is to educate business owners about the many digital resources they have at their disposal to promote their business, and how to use those resources effectively.

A sampling of topics covered:

• Web page: Your main facade ; dos and donts; making it mobile friendly; free resources & tools.
• Hosting options
• SEO (search engine optimization): rules are different nowadays, but seo is still relevant
• Why is blogging smart marketing?
• Hiring a web designer or programmer: how-to avoid getting burned; various options explored.
• Presence and effective promotion on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Yelp.
• Paid advertising: social media, Adwords, Yelp, other sites. How to make effective campaigns.
• Is advertising in paper based publications worth it?
• Is a press release worth the cost?
• Creating cost-effective promotional materials from your computer: business cards, brochures, posters, swag.
• Hosting lectures promoted online: not just a sales pitch; Meetup, EventBrite. Free or not free?
• Statistics aren’t just numbers! Extracting value from data. Google Analytics.

The workshop will take place on the 2nd floor, in the BMO boardroom. Space is limited to 20 attendees, so RSVP soon!

Studio Y will be co-hosting an information session at Innovation Works London.

We are bringing Studio Y across the province to engage young professionals and attract the next generation of Systems Leaders. Studio Y is a part-time, flexible, and funded opportunity. This is an accessible program intended for all Ontarians where fellows meet at MaRS Discovery District for brief residencies throughout the year.

Studio Y is now open for applications. The program runs part-time September through May.

Want to find out more? Learn all about the fellowship at this information session. Studio Y staff will be on site to talk about the Fellowship, its programming, and discuss the application process. Bring your questions, ideas and your curiosity.

What is the Studio Y Fellowship?

The fellowship aims to develop high-potential young people into systems leaders. Systems leadership training encompasses the cutting-edge skills required for the next generation of innovators.

This fellowship is a flexible and funded opportunity. Experts will equip fellows with the knowledge and experience they need to drive collective action. Fellows will have access to the mentorship, advisory services and repository of knowledge available inside the MaRS ecosystem. The entire MaRS network will be around to aid in your learning and development.

Join the info session for an overview of Studio Y’s program design, which centres on the key focus areas within MaRS:

• Future of Energy & Environment
• Future of Health
• Future of Work & Learning
• Future of Finance & Commerce

Studio Y will also offer a unique opportunity this year. A select number of fellows will have the chance to complete a full-time work placement in one of the MaRS business units. Applicants who have experience in a field that aligns with one of the MaRS clusters will receive additional funding for this immersive experience.

Meet Studio Y’s staff and alumni at this networking event to ask them about this rare opportunity.

If you think you’ve got what it takes, you can apply today. Applications close June 28, 2017. In the meantime, RSVP for the info session here.

Excel is one of the most widely used software tools – known for its ability to manage large amounts of text and numerical data with ease. Keep lists of information, subtotal groups of numbers, pivot data for analysis and decision-making, or chart information to illustrate your data.

Most users have a basic understanding of the software. With a few simple tips and tricks you can use Excel with more efficiency and power. Learn about the hidden strategies that will save you lots of time, ensure consistency and also ensure that your numbers and calculations are correct.

Correct calculations and the ability to represent the data – powerful reasons to use Excel!

This session focuses on ensuring that users understand the key features of Excel and how to use them effectively. Many users are not aware of the hidden pitfall of issues such as incorrect rounding of answers; the ability to format cells to highlight data that requires attention; text rotation that enables additional formatting options; print multiple pages with column titles repeated on each page, and so many more tips and tricks.

What’s Included:

* Small 6-10 person class size

* Refreshments

* Acknowledgement of course completion

* Networking opportunity with other professionals

* Discounts on future MLD Solutions training sessions

This is a beginner’s course. We welcome attendees new to Excel.

NOTE: Laptops are available upon request. To borrow a laptop for the session, please select the “Laptop Needed” ticket.

Register Here.

Do you want to hear about some of London’s most exciting tech companies? Then join us for the second component of our biennial 60-Second Pitch program! Competitors will present their pitch to a panel of three judges, American Idol-style for the chance to win thousands of dollars in business acceleration prizes.

Following the pitches, join us for a cocktail reception while our judges deliberate who will take home the top three prize packages, plus, NEW for this year, is the People’s Choice Award!

Winners of the 2017 60-Second Pitch Competition will be announced before the night is out!

Champion Sponsors:

Streaming Partner

Growth Sponsor:

Contributing Sponsor:

This is a repeat of our May 31 workshop. Note that it’s one hour long in the afternoon this time (you can stay for Q & A after, if you like)

Attendees of the first edition said these things:

“Presentation was clear and concise; Water was easily available; Links shared to resources on vulnerabilities”

“I learned useful tips for protecting myself against online security threats.”

“As always, very good quality”

You read the headlines about the latest massive hack affecting millions and sometimes a billion web users and/or credit card holders. But did you know that possibly and unwittingly your own website, router or web connected device could be part of a botnet used in attacks?

What never ceases to amaze is how many businesses and individuals fail to protect themselves from the hordes of hackers working in a multi-billion dollar a year illegal industry. This workshop aims to awaken you to the many dangers as well as to offer real solutions to defending yourself and your business from what could be a disastrous breach of security.

Topics include:

* Profile of a “black hat” hacker and what they target
* Types of attacks and how they’re achieved
* Skimmers, shimmers, mini spy cameras
* Social engineering: what is it?
* Sources of timely security alerts
* Basic prevention
* Penetration testing (have I been hacked?)
* Web site and web server security
* Desktop and Mobile security
* Anti-virus products comparisons

Truthfully, everybody who connects to the Internet should know this stuff, so come on over, and become a savvy, secure Internet user! RSVP for this event here.

HamOnt IoT is all about the “Internet of Things”… low cost and kick ass, featuring experts from within and abroad for a full day of talks… We would love for you to join us on Saturday June 24th!

Check out the schedule of talks on the event page! HamOnt IoT attendees can also expect morning coffee & snacks, lunch, afternoon drinks & snacks, and an after party!

RSVP for the event here.

MS Office users – bring your questions to our team. We are offering free open office hours to help you answer a question and/or direct you to the appropriate course.

Word ~ Excel ~ PowerPoint ~ Publisher ~ OneNote ~ Outlook ~ OneDrive~ Visio

You are also welcome to drop in and listen to questions that others may have and/or see how others are using these products.

Note: We must be fair to all drop in participants. If a question requires a more in-depth answer or requires a full training session to teach then we will direct you to the appropriate course or a one-on-one session (discounts will be offered to participants).

Registration is recommended. You are welcome to send us your question ahead of time. We will restrict this to one question per participant unless there is time (who knows – someone else may ask your other questions!).

You are welcome to bring your laptop, especially if you have a file that is relevant to your question. Specific examples are always best.

If you would like to use one of our laptops for the session, please select the ticket that states “LAPTOP NEEDED”.
During all of our free training sessions, we welcome donations to a community charity/non-profit organization. This week all donations will go toward The Boys and Girls Club of London.

Why attend:
Ask a question – get an answer

Have a refreshment and relax

Chat with others who also have questions

Get a discount on a future course or one-on-one session

RSVP for the event here.

This is a repeat of our April 19 and May 23 workshop.

Part of the London Launch Code pilot project sponsored by Coder Scoop, bridging the gap between the growing local tech industry and those who want to be a part of it.

There’s a disconnect when scores of skilled programmers and other tech programmers are chronically unemployed or underemployed while tech companies in Canada complain vehemently that there’s a dire shortage of skilled tech personnel and that to avert a crisis, work visas should be granted en masse to foreign workers.

What is happening? Before you crucify the employers, accusing them of just looking for cheap labor as in so many industries, consider the possibility that these local skilled workers are perhaps failing to attract their attention or that maybe the ones doing the hiring are not recognizing talent. When push comes to shove, all they want are people who know what they’re doing and are reliable, right?

Maybe it’s because many tech workers are terribly shy, and don’t do a good job of selling themselves? Maybe they have skills that aren’t highly in demand in their city or that there’s an excessive supply of workers with the same skills? Maybe they’re just sending their resume and cover letter, then hoping for an interview – a job seeking routine which is known to have an abysmal success rate? Maybe employers are too stuck on their “scientific” hiring methodology and miss the gems in the rough that come their way?

There’s a lot of maybes! The aim of the London Launch Code project is to help both sides of the employment equation, by educating them and bringing them together in original ways!

The purpose of this lecture is to give those seeking employment, or better employment, in the tech industry, a leg up on everyone else! You’ll get insider information that none of the employment agencies will provide, but could make a huge difference in the results of your quest!

Some of the topics include:

• Meeting the decision makers one-on-one without an interview.
• Getting job offers without seeking them.
• Building a myth around yourself
• Why the “tout” is 100 times more valuable than experience.
• Researching the company and decision makers
• The 10 deadly sins

In short, this ISN’T another of those “how to write a resume” or “how to do a winning interview” courses! RSVP for the event here.