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Reader Comments on Aardvark Daily 23 September 2002

Note: the comments below are the unabridged submissions of readers and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

 

From: meHM
For : Right Of Reply (for publication)
Subj: Hot Jobs

I have been a Network Administrator. I have also been a
Network Engineer? At least I installed and maintained
structured cabling, hubs and switches.
I have taught IT and also been a lowly Computer Technician.
Pretty much in that order too.
I no longer care whats hot or trendy. I found I liked to
play with hardware and in particular Hi-end gaming machines.
So I'm off shortly to another computer distributors to live
happily evre fater among game PCs. Or at least happily for
the next couple of years anyway which is all you can really
say in the IT industry




From: Daniel
For : Right Of Reply (for publication)
Subj: IT Jobs

I met a builder in the lift this morning. He used to teach
graphics design a few years ago.

My wife has been contracting for 10+ years in NZ market
doing cics, cobol, db2. She is usually the only Kiwi or one
of few on the teams. Mostly Indian, Philipeno's, UK
contractors etc.

Still highly sort after yet no one has been teaching these
skills for 14+ years. So the NZ  IT market brings in people
from overseas.

Quite funny, the industry is now creating web based front
ends to connect to the mainframe backends so while web
developement is entering this areana the need for cics,
cobol, db2 skills will be here for a very long time.




From: Peter
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Hot Jobs

Hi, I came from Europe over 2 1/2 years ago. I was working
for EDS in Germany as a COBOL Programmer (not very hot!). I
found a job here with a major Bank and started there in
COBOL as well. Meanwhile I am a VB Developer. But the thing
is, NZ is very 'experience oriented'. My interest and also
my skills have a wider scope than COBOL. I am able to read
and write C++ and Java. But do I get a job here? No way! I
have no working experience in these areas. So no one is
interested to give me a job. The only job I can get is in
the area I worked before. Using the 'old' technologies.

So what's hot? Hot is, what's in the newspaper and what the
Marketing Departments in the Software Companies sell to the
IT Managers. Then they go and hire a Job Agency and give
them a list of all the nice skills an Employee should have.
You then see ads in the Newspaper which say "Looking for a
Programmer with experience in .Net" and that 4 weeks after
the launch of this magical software. But to get this
experience, I have to get the Beta Version, have to train
myself and have to find a way to get 'work experience'
without getting a job. And this all in 4 weeks? Because I
can't get a job without work experience. So please tell me,
how can I get a job in a new 'Hot' area of this glorious IT
business? Who will give me my first .Net job and I can get
some experience in Webservices? Nobody!

So I don't care what's hot.




From: Samuel
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Web Designers..

Web design diploma mills have contributed somewhat to the
lack of Web Designer jobs. These "educational" institues
churn out about 120 students a year into the workforce,
supplying them with poor diplomas and overinflated opinions
of their ablitites. Not to mention charging them ridiculous
fees for the privilage.

*cough* *cough* http://www.ncmt.co.nz *cough* arbitration
after the course recovered half of our fees. *cough*

It is truely a shame that they did not mention this in the
infotech when they did a write up about Carich training.
Infact, if you want to write a column about this, I am
happy to offer myself as an anonymous source..




From: Mike
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Hot Jobs

Interesting that you ask about wireless. Personally I
believe that we are heading for another wireless bomb
(somewhat similar to the dot. bomb). Companies are
installing wireless networks hand over fist without regard
to the technologies. I am a infrastructure specialist and I
have heard some consultants plastering around some scary
promises. The most concerning is the promise of 55 Mbit
wireless. 55 Mbit wireless cannot be delivered over 2.5Ghz
ISM band (Industrial, Scientific, Medical), a company would
need to shift into the 5Mhz band for the increase in
bandwidth. That is all fine and dandy, apart from one small
oversight. 5 Ghz is licensed. To get a license, you need to
fork out circa $45K. This can price many solutions out of
the ballpark. Further to that, even if you obtain a license
the only level of enforcement is to tell anyone who is
using your frequency to turn it off! Don't get me wrong
wireless is a good fit if the requirements outline that
fit. It intensely annoys me how often 'Consultants' (I know
we are tools of the devil) do this. It's just a solution,
not a religion.




From: julian stone
For : Right Of Reply (for publication)
Subj: ??? Anyone know of a Hot Job???


I think it was about 2 years ago when I said to my wife
Sarah, "Whatever I do, don't let me be a web designer".
This was just after a large dot com (or dot co.nz) business
my employer was involved unfortunately failed in a
hailstorm of nastiness (Not his fault, he was a great Guy!
and is a great friend), and made me sit back and take stock
of my career...
(NB: I met my wife through the bust - so that was great!)

I found myself in a place where after 9 years of hard
servitude as a high-end Mac Operator/Designer, suddenly the
jobs had changed... Hmmm the jobs were still there... it's
just that an experienced (both technical and creative)
designer seemed to "just not fit" in the world of 1-2yr
experienced MacOps which seemed to be streaming from every
orifice of all the "Creative Institutes". (Isn't it
interesting that in the past a design or technical course
taught you foundational skills, yet today they teach you
for $Thousands how to use a couple of bits of software
which, by the way, are generally out of date by the time
you graduate). And hey! who dropped all the Zero's off my
nice high salary. It seems the salary level has in the last
5 years become inversely proportional to my experience
level??
(NB: Many fishing trips on the bosses boat during this
period... and I bought a couple of nice cars!)

Ok, so after the Graphic Design scene and the bomb, I
thought I'd try my hand at the Visual Effects/3d Animation
game. Having dabbled over the years, I got in with a
leading Effects designer and freelanced for a
while.. "What's that? you want a website?..." - ok, back to
the 3d Animation. Now theres a good field! Hmmm...
Thousands of kids spending $Thousands, learning to use 1 or
2 software packages (At least web uses three or four) which
if the industry swings, they're all out of a job... Hmmm
Jobs?...1 Job for each 200 kids (i think) - and seriously
underpaid, with an average shelf life of 6 months.
(NB: I'd better have a latte for a couple of hours then I'm
off fishing - take the mobile)

Right, I'll try the home office... the Parnell Visual
effects thing was great, but gosh darn it! I've just had
too much of that Southern Motorway... Right, on to the
visual effects..."What's that? you want a website?..." ok,
now where was I - oh that's right... In the lounge watching
Oprah waiting for a client to come over. Hmmmm Visual
effects seems to be fizzling, had enough of Graphic Design
(no money in it)... I guess there will be some good money
in the web... I'm sure I can come up with the next great
idea, Yeah! no one's done it!, It'll sell...  (oh-oh Dot
com hype got me for a sec... sorry about that)
(NB: Nice day outside, I think I'll go for a Kayak down at
the beach... Take the mobile)

"Whats that! Changes to the XYZ website...Yup! I'm on
it! " - Darn it... Now I have to drag that darned Sea Kayak
up the hill to the house! .... 2 mins later (minimum charge
1/2 hour) "Changes done!"
(NB: I wonder how my mates going - I think I'll visit
him... After washing the car)

OK, Sarah and I have just decided... Had enough of the
Southern Motorway... Were a virtual business!... We don't
need a location!... I have a mobile!  Packed up the dog,
cat, horse, horse float. Rigged up the double cab Hilux Ute
(2yo), sold the house and headed to Christchurch.
(After a couple of months) Hmmm... I don't know about the
industry down here... seems hard to find work... People are
nice though
(NB: Said to myself as I drive down the driveway of the 26
acre lovely farmlet overlooking the Alps, which costs to
rent, the same as a small house on a busy corner in
Auckland)

Wheres the web going? Will I be out of work soon? I wish I
new Cold Fusion and Flash better... I'll never get any
work...
(NB: Said to myself on the leisurely 20min drive in to town
past beautiful scenery, paddocks, trout and salmon rivers
etc... Ok, I've found a carpark right outside - better do
some work I guess)

Will I be a good provider? Is the industry going to
collapse? Where are the "Hot Jobs"
(NB: I ask myself while planning to take a day off and go
fly fishing with Phil up in the Alps in a couple of days -
It's been so sunny and rainless for the last two months, i
figured "Why not"

Hmmm... Where are the "Hot Jobs"

I think if we are open to change and open our eyes, we will
see that the web has offered us a lifestyle found in very
few other jobs... I for one love working creatively in the
IT realm....




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