Black Family Technology Awareness Week 2004 to Highlight Access, Education, & Career Opportunities.

Business Editors/Education Writers/High-Tech Writers

ARMONK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 12, 2004

Campaign, Scheduled for February 15-22nd, to Benefit from New IBM 

Employee Volunteer Initiative

"Engineering Excellence" will be the inspiration for the fifth annual Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW) campaign, scheduled for February 15-22, 2004. A national public awareness initiative, sponsored by IBM and Career Communications Group, BFTAW promotes the value of technology in the Black community and its importance in educating and preparing Black children for future careers.

Hands-on technology demonstrations, on-line college expos, cyber cafes, computer classes and workshops on navigating and building web sites are among the programs that will be offered to Black families in and around the U.S. Last year, the presenting sponsors partnered with churches, senior-citizen centers, schools, youth groups, fraternal, professional and community organizations and IBM employee volunteers to host more than 80 events in 26 cities, 17 states and Canada, providing thousands of Blacks with opportunities to access technology and enhance their technological skills.

Four of IBM's senior Black executives and their families will serve as national chairpersons for the week, appearing at BFTAW events and addressing some of the issues critical to persuading Blacks to participate more fully in the Digital Age. IBM employees participating in BFTAW 2004 will also benefit from "IBM On Demand Community," a new program through which the company empowers its employees by offering them over 140 IBM technology assets and other innovative resources, strategies, programs and tutorials they can access online and share with the organizations and agencies with which they volunteer. IBM On Demand Community builds on the company's tradition of community service. Last year, over 1,000 IBM employees volunteered their time and expertise to the BFTAW campaign.

To learn more about Black Family Technology Awareness Week 2004, log on to www.blackfamilynet.net or call [phone].

IBM is the world's largest information technology provider and a worldwide leader in e-business solutions. The company has over 300,000 employees and does business in more than 160 countries. For more information on IBM, please visit the company's web site at www.ibm.com.

Career Communications Group, Inc. (CCG) is a minority-owned media services company headquartered in Baltimore, MD. The company was founded 20 years ago to promote significant minority achievement in engineering, science, and technology.