A Game-Winning Strategy: The Avnet Tech Games

So, let’s talk about my championship project, my game-winning strategy, my … er, uh, not being a big sports fans, I’ve run out of colloquial-ism.  Anyhoo, I’m finally getting around to blogging about the Avnet Tech Games (ATG) which will be held Saturday, April 4, 2009 at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.

This is our BIG signature event and my chance to act as the coach to a team of professionals that put the Dream Team to shame.  The Avnet Tech Games is the slam dunk of community outreach projects — it scores points for everybody involved.  It’s scholarships for the students, it’s a way of creating a more qualified work force for the high tech community, it’s had success at creating curriculm more pertinent to the real world.  But wait, there’s more.  We use it for teamwork, team building, doing business with our valued partners, scouting future talent, building the branding and exercising good corporate citizenship.  Plus we give preeminent branding opportunities to our sponsors who are also part of the Avnet team, our customers and suppliers.

But what is it, you ask (at least I hope you do)?  The Avnet Tech Games is an annual multidisciplinary technology competition open to all colleges, institutes and universities in Arizona. The event offers approximately 300 participating students the chance to apply what they learn in school to real-world scenarios.

This year, the purse got sweetened and the field was expanded.  The bonus: $50,000 in student scholarships and faculty honorariums thanks to the generosity of our 2009 MVP, the Carstens Family Fund.

This year’s ATG competition features nine unique games that require students to test their knowledge, creativity, problem-solving and technical skills. An independent panel of sponsor representatives and technical experts judge the games, which are designed to help prepare students for today’s highly-competitive job market.

We’re in our fourth year of this and it’s got a lot of traction now, both with the media, students, faculty and the general public.  It’s an award winning program, having gained a lot of national recognition.

I hope you will visit our web site at www.AvnetTechGames.com and also go to a link that recaps last year’s program http://www.avnettechgames.com/flip-book.  And, don’t just sit on the sidelines … come visit us live and in person on the 4th … be there for the opening tip-off and stay until we hand out the trophies.  You will be amazed at what the geek version of professional athletes can accomplish.

And, you have to know, as a proud coach, I’ll have to cheer my Dream Team on to the finish line so stay tuned for more blogging … but less sports talk.  Play ball.