Readers' Comments

Reader Comments on Aardvark Daily 5 June 2001
Note: the comments below are the unabridged submissions of readers and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.


From: Ian
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: The State of IT in NZ...

At the moment I'll be staying in the country, at least
while I have a job...

The one thing that is a little unrelated to this is the
constant cries in the media of so many thousand IT jobs
going wanting, thousands of IT jobs unfilled, website has
3,786 IT vacancies, which in my book is a total crock
of ....

I spent four months hunting for work between December and
March 2000/2001 before I got work. Even then, I had to move
towns. I'm not an entry level IT person, I have several
years mixed Unix and NT Sysadmin experience plus project
and management skills.

I have another colleague with more than 25 years experience
who has been looking for the last 6 months with no joy. I
know a few others in the same boat.

I simply can't believe these figures that are being touted
by advertisers, papers, recruitment agencies.

In a roundabout way it brings me back to your point about
skilled IT people leaving NZ. I have three friends who have
departed for Melbourne in the last 6 months having not been
able to find work in NZ. They were all experienced in
networking.

What is going on? Are people leaving because the work
simply isn't there?




From: Andy
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Working Overseas

I left NZ to work in England in the IT industry in February
this year. I have 8 years experience in consulting and the
financial services industry. Leaving NZ was simply a matter
of economics - i am living as reasonably as possible in
London and saving around GBP2000 a month. These savings are
reducing my mortgage back home in NZ. The plan being in a
little over two years I will return debt free with good
European experience. Finding work in the UK is not as easy
as the media portray with people with "english work
experience" be prefered - hard to have when you have just
arrived in the country. However the desire to find work is
strong when you are initially living off NZD in the UK. The
IT & consulting industry here has also been hit badly by
the US and European economic downturn with alot of big
firms sacking staff. The work environment is less pressured
than NZ, but the living environment in London and cost of
living reminds you what a paradise NZ is. I will certainly
be returning to NZ - but hopefully to a more comfortable
lifestyle as a result of my savings & efforts from over
here. Having worked on assignments in Aussie, if it was not
for family and my wifes attachment to NZ I would be
seriously considering relocating there after leaving London
as the working conditions are better and lifestyle
comparable to NZ.
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