Building a Great Corporate Culture by Learning New Technology
When it comes to technology, it’s always changing. The Packerland Websites team is always learning, giving our clients the best possible website design, branding, and digital marketing results. As a part of our corporate culture, Packerland Websites places a high value on ongoing education. Thus, owner Bill Koehne provides tuition reimbursement and company time for continuous learning. Not only do the website developers learn individually, they also share their knowledge with the whole team, multiplying its impact for our clients. As the school year starts, we asked the team of website developers what web-related topics they are studying.
What website-related topic have you studied recently?
Noah: Photography! I went back to school for a couple of semesters and earned a degree in Digital Photography. The classes that I took specifically discussed photo editing, workflow, and shooting basic videography.
Miranda: I’ve been researching Google Data Studio
Mike: Recently I have been looking into mobile app development and Server REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs. These things go hand-in-hand with each other so it is definitely fun to learn how to set up your own secure API points. (REST API is an app interface used to exchange information.)
Tom: I’ve been looking more into website security and integration over the last few months.
What is your educational resource?
Noah: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. I attended virtual and in-person classes over the past several months.
Miranda: Google
Mike: Since this is a pretty big subject with a lot of different solutions, most of my resources come from just normal everyday research on search engines. Things like YouTube videos, stack overflow, Udemy and just talking to my awesome group of peers.
Tom: There are several sites dedicated to web development as well as the security software sites themselves that offer solutions and explanations on how to ensure a website is safe.
Why do you want to learn about this technology topic?
Noah: Photography was always a side hobby of mine, but I didn’t really have the technical knowledge to go along with it. For the most part, I was a “point and shoot” hobby photographer. As I learned more about photography, I saw the benefits of receiving some technical training. So, I not only improved my skills for my personal photography, but also made photography an asset for the websites that we build for clients. Now I have the skills to confidently take photos for our business partners and clients.
Miranda: Data Studio replaces some of the functionality, particularly reporting, of Google Analytics that was taken away when they implemented the new GA4 (Google Analytics 4). My goal is to make sure that our clients are receiving reports via analytics, and this is how it will be done in the future.
Mike: Mobile apps are something that just come second nature to the everyday user, but it is a whole new thought process when creating mobile apps. It isn’t the same as creating a simple html page that is made for mobile because more in-depth coding is required to really make it function well and look great.
Tom: It’s important to stay current with security trends and solutions to ensure that the websites we work with are as safe and secure as possible.
What is your dream topic to learn about?
Noah: Winemaking/beer brewing. I’ve ventured into beer-making/brewing during the past few months and it’s been a blast. I would love to learn more about the and intricacies of both processes. On a more technical level, I would love to continue to learn more about blockchain technology and the impact it could continue to have on technology and our society. Blockchain technology allows users to centralize transactions in a peer-to-peer network which replaces a central cleaning authority. This technology can potentially be used in voting, banking, and sales.
Miranda: Music Production
Mike: Honestly, I don’t think I have a dream topic. I am pretty interested in all topics web related and get excited to learn anything that is new! There is so much out there, so you just need to find time for it at the end of the day.
Tom: I’ve been interested in (and attempting) wood working and refinishing furniture the last several years and would like to improve my skills.
Continuing Technology Education
Our team is expanding its knowledge of app development, new methods of data analysis, and the latest trends in photography. By keeping up with the latest technology, Packerland Websites assures that clients get the best performance, brand strategies and ROI on their digital marketing investment. In closing, we wish students and staff all the best in the new school year. May your studies today inspire a lifelong love of learning.