[Announce] [Fwd: LPI and WOWEM Invitations to Participate in Professional Development]

[LinuxChix Coordinator]

The other night, I got an email and then a phone call from Stacy
Gildenston. She works with a company called Linux Professional
Institute, which is trying to provide certifications for Linux
professionals - essentially, a way for 'management'-type people to know
which Linux sysadmins, programmers, and techs actually know what they're
doing.

LPI is also interested in increasing the general 'professionalism' of
Linux techy-types, including reducing the number and severity of
incidents like Raven's recent experience with the IRC sexist jerks.

LPI's work is in producing the exams and arranging for other companies
to actually administer the exams, all over the world. LPI apparently is
trying to keep the cost of doing the exams down as much as possible,
especially in places where the average income is low.

Stacy is trying to find people who can help produce exams - and became
conscious that the majority of their exam developers were male. That's
what brought her to LinuxChix in the first place. She's eager to find
female techie types who are interested in helping LPI, and also for a
new project of her own.

Her new project is about providing technical education to women, both in
the third world and in the developed countries.

The biggest thing Stacy offers us is this: she knows how to get funding,
and how to get 'suits' interested. 
What she lacks is access to techie people. That's us.

She's willing to listen to any project in the general 'supporting women
in technology' theme. Many or most of the projects we've been bemoaning
a lack of funding for - the mentoring schemes, the 'big sister' schemes
- fit closely into her 'WOWEM' concept. And _she has funding_. 

We have tech.

Please look at her letter, be patient with her 'businessese' language,
and get in touch with her.



Jenn V.


-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Stacy Gildenston <stacy at lpi.org>
To: stacy at lpi.org
Subject: LPI and WOWEM Invitations to Participate in Professional
Development
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 12:30:49 -0500

Hello Friends!

Stacy Gildenston here, Director of Certification for Linux Professional Institute, 
and also an organizer working in Open Source for Gender Equity. I have two 
invitations for you, one from LPI, and one relating to a new project, called 
WOWEM, in worldwide educational opportunities for Gender Equity through Open 
Source.  Please feel free to pass this email on to anyone who might be 
interested in either invitation, including lists.  Thanks for your time!   -sg

Linux Professional Institute Invitation 

LPI would like to invite you to participate in LPI's current exam 
development programs.  We currently have 4 active projects that I'd 
like you to participate in, all of which are about creating professionalism 
in Linux.

To start this work, you will need to create an LPI Account.  You'll need 
to create an LPI account regardless of if you ever take an exam, as this 
is how we keep track of your contact information and our security through 
our exam development process: https://www.lpi.org/en/register.html

Once you have an account, we hope you'll consider working with us on 
these new projects!  

1. Level 1 - Item Collection (this is for people 1 or 2 years as a sysadmin)

We are working to build our existing item pool, and introduce new exam 
items to build a more broad resource for use with the exam labs we're 
hosting around the world.  To participate in this program, login to the 
Exam Development site and visit:

https://www.lpi.org/en/examdev/objective/addItems.html?exam_subject_id=5

There currently isn't a volunteer project manager for this program.  If 
interested, please email kara at lpi.org

2. Level 2 - Update Program (our highest level program currently)

Level 2 was originally published in July 2001, and hasn't had a 
significant update since.  The first step to updating a program is to 
evaluate what tasks are significant today to a Level 2 administrator.  
We have to collect a minimum of 300 tasks for this project before we can 
move on to the next phase of the update.  To participate in this program, 
please login to the Exam Development site and visit:

https://www.lpi.org/en/examdev/jta/subject.html?subject_id=4

The volunteer project manager for this project is Monika Orski 
(monika at orski.com).  Monika has been a long-time LPI volunteer and SME, 
and I'm very excited to have her help us by leading this project.  If you 
are interesting in volunteering for this specific project, please contact 
Monika.  

3. Level 3 - Samba Administrator

One of the first Level 3 programs to find active participants has been on 
the subject of Samba.  This is truly an exciting topic, as it is relevant 
on multiple operating systems.  The first step for any new program is to 
launch a Job Task Analysis to ensure the market is strong enough, and the 
topics are relevant to support an exam on the subject.  The first step 
will be to collect 300-500 tasks for the survey.  To participate on this 
exam project, please login and visit:

https://www.lpi.org/en/examdev/jta/subject.html?subject_id=3

The volunteer project manager for this program is John H. Terpstra, an 
exemplary member of the Linux community and one of the leaders of the Samba 
project.  John has been a friend to LPI since we founded in 1998.  He is not 
only excited, but adamant to get a Samba program going, so expect a lot of 
moving and shaking if you participate on this project!  If 
you'd like to volunteer additional assistance to John, please contact him 
at jht at samba.org.

4. Level 3 - Security

Security has been a hot topic to LPI since nearly the beginning.  We've 
addressed it at a low level with both of our current programs, but we agree 
with the community that Security deserves a high-level heading of its own.  
Therefore, Security was decided to be our first Level 3 program to launch.  
The requirements for this program are the same as L3-Samba.  We must first 
launch our Job Task Analysis.  Please submit your tasks for Security here:

https://www.lpi.org/en/examdev/jta/subject.html?subject_id=1

The current project lead for this program is Mark Lachniet (mark at lachniet.com).  
If you wish to offer additional assistance to this program, please contact him. 


UPCOMING LPI EVENTS

We have a number of exciting new programs that have been floating around 
the halls of LPI, Inc.  Two of them specifically will be launched very soon. 
One will focus on very basic Linux Core skills below our current skills 
required for Level 1.  The second is planned to focus on Linux Desktop 
programs.  If these specific topics are of interest to you, I hope 
you'll join the LPI Exam Development mailing lists (particularly 
examdev)and discuss them with us.  The volume of these lists vary. 
Join LPI lists here:  http://www.lpi.org/en/maillists.html    


WOWEM: 
By Women, For Women...A NEW Open Source Education Project in the Works!
LPI does not, as part of its charter, offer training/education directly, 
although LPI has an inherent interest in quality educational offerings. 
 After attending WSIS (http://www.wougnet.org/WSIS/wsisgc.html) in Geneva 
last December, I realized that there are funding opportunities for 
educational development using Open Source/Linux for gender equity. 

There is a shift from talking about what needs to be done in groups 
like LinuxChix.org, to getting involved at high levels internationally 
in order to enhance open source education for gender equity, and I can 
help us do that.

Therefore, I am working (on my own time) beyond the scope of LPI to 
develop an Open Source, community focused, "by women, for women" 
education project, which I'm calling WOWEM (Women's Open World 
Empowerment Movement).  Right now, I'm in initial discussions with 
several well established groups (including LinuxChix and Geekcorps) 
on ways that women can work on educating for gender equity in the 
developed world AND in Lesser Developed Countries (LDCs).  This 
project doesn't take away from what I do for LPI, it actually enhances 
and builds it.  And that's good for all!  

WOWEM is starting off as a clearinghouse and project coordinator 
for Gender Equity and Open Source Education.  If you want to get 
involved, I could really use help with a very Open Source friendly 
website/email list just to start coordinating our contacts and plans.  
If you have an interest in any aspect of the project, please email me 
at sgildenston at earthlink.net.  You may also email Joan Kerr, of Global 
Catalysts in Canada, my partner on this, whose background and success 
with gender issues has inspired me to take the leap at 
globalcatalysts at rogers.com.  We look forward to hearing back from you with 
ideas and offers of help.

Finally, I will be running a BoF at Penguin Day this weekend 
(www.penguinday.org). This session will explore current non-profit 
strategies in the implementation of Open Source in Information and 
Communication Technologies, particularly revolving around Gender Equity 
concerns both here and abroad.  Find me there if you are in attendance!

THANKS

-sg
-- 
LinuxChix Coordinator <jenn at linuxchix.org>
LinuxChix