This year’s annual NODAKON at Minot State University took on AI, Cybersecurity, and Future Readiness during a two-day event for students and the public. SRT provided support, insights, and education on both days.
The first day kicked off with SRT Tech Day, where students from 15 area high schools took part in business- and technology-related competitions. SRT was proud to sponsor this educational event for our 20th consecutive year, and were honored to attend the award presentations.
Day two of NODAKON featured a comprehensive cybersecurity summit. Shawn Grosz, SRT Chief Technology Officer, delivered a program about the unique security challenges that broadband and internet service providers (ISPs) confront every day. ISPs carry three overlapping areas of responsibility at the same time, creating a more complex security environment than most organizations face: They are traditional corporate businesses, critical communications infrastructure providers, and technology providers that deliver internet to thousands of homes and businesses. Jordan Kelly, SRT Network Operations Manager, followed the Insights Sessions with a presentation about how organizations like SRT are adapting to AI applications in the workplace.
A common theme of NODAKON is the importance of establishing a cybersafe culture, in which employees are empowered to question emails or links sent from coworkers or even the CEO, and live by a “think before you click” mindset.
SRT holds monthly training for all employees and encourages continuous education like the opportunities provided by NODAKON at Minot State. However, cybersecurity is not just for the workplace; it’s something we should all keep top-of-mind as we use the Internet in every aspect of our lives. SRT extends that message of cybersafety to everyone.
In addition to Cybersecurity Month, October is also National Co-Op Month – a time to celebrate the value cooperatives bring to members and their communities. Cooperatives live by a principle of providing education, which means you get a trusted resource for useful information when you belong to a cooperative. No other type of mainstream company embeds a commitment like this into their priorities. SRT routinely provides technical how-to classes, cybersecurity tutorials and alerts, and one-on-one guidance to ensure our members are safe and getting the most out of their services. All education and training we provide is always free. As a member, you have 24/7 access to our technical experts. These experts live in the communities you call home and are always close by ready to help you.
