Question for IT people

[Dr Bob]

I kindof agree with random, but it is rather random. It does help to get a framework of some kind to be able to hang all of the knowledge that you might acquire. Whether this is self directed learning - ie. tons of reading, both from the interweb thingy and the library, or by doing a course ie. a general diploma in IT, it does pay in the long run to get the big picture.

I also agree that linux is the way of the future. Not that everything is going to be linux, just that there will be a big differential between supply and demand for those people with those skills. Go get a book like "Linux Administration: A beginner's guide" (Graham, Shah) or some such that is similar. Get your hands on a distribution and go through all of the stuff in the book. If you already know this then you can work on the scripting and automation etc.

If you don't want to do an entire qualification you can often go to a Polytech or University and enrol in a single paper {here we call them a Certificate of Proficiency}, that way you could pick up programming in a specific language, or web development etc.

Good luck

[Blakamin]

Give us a CV, give me a yell so we can hook up for a coffee or a beer and I'll see if I can help. We may have some possies comming up in the near future at Datacom.

I'll PM my email addy.

Cheers

Jim

Tell me more!... eg... what so you do at Datacom???

[jrandom]

It does help to get a framework of some kind to be able to hang all of the knowledge that you might acquire.

Certainly. I should have made this point clearly. If I had to offer the best advice I could, I'd say, "go get a BE". Actually developing new technology is great fun; don't discount it as a career. Four years at uni is a bit expensive, a lot of hard work and quite time consuming, but it can be very worthwhile if you choose well.

[James Deuce]

Tell me more!... eg... what so you do at Datacom???

Support Analyst - 2nd & 3rd level support for NZ Customs. In the midst of upgrades and technology implementation projects. Mostly interesting stuff with very little 1st level user support.

I'm intrigued as to why Datacom got an instant bagging from a couple of people. There is no perfect employer, but at least here my past employment history is respected as being useful, I get paid overtime and on-call allowances, and I'm working with a team of really good blokes.

I also get a bit picky about the "user" thing. They don't ring up with an expectation that we know how to do their job, so why do we bag them for not knowing that a network connection won't work without the cable plugged in? These things aren't self evident to a PA whose focus is getting their executive through the day with a minimum of hassle.

[manuboy]

You wanna do this for a living? Phuck that. Tell ya what - you get a job as a gardner down here, and i'll swap ya jobs.

What a bargain! You get the moisture sapping air/con, the RSI, the twats that think that systems can be majorly hijacked 1/2 way through development (why is that? if people tried to do that to vehicle designers or architects there's be chaos), the headaches, the creepy farkin "consultants" hanging round the office with their PDA's drinkin coffee and makin it look like work..., the bullshit meetings, the system up(down)grades, the legacy systems (uncommented)...

I'll take the outdoors (rain or shine), the simplicity, the physical stress instead of the mental stress, the semi-naked sunbathing tourists, the birds, blah blah blah.

Let me know when you're ready... PLEASE!

[jrandom]

What a bargain! ...

manuboy speaks troof.

It's why I like my job. I get left alone in my corner for literally weeks on end, playing with beautiful logical abstractions.

Occasionally I'm interrupted by unpleasant commercial necessities, such as shipping software releases, but on the whole it's a nice life, and well enough paid. I recommend it.

[dhunt]

For those of you talkn about typin, try the dvorak keyboard layout. Best damned change I ever made. Much faster, less likely to cause injury, and confuses the tech people when they try messing with my machine.

I've thought about learning too use one but how easy is to change between a qwerty keyboard dvorak keyboard?

[Dr Bob]

I've thought about learning too use one but how easy is to change between a qwerty keyboard dvorak keyboard?

The keyboard is the same you just use hot keys to switch, so learning can take as long as you want. The fact that none of the keys {except for a and m} do what they say they do does help you touch type rather quickly. The US navy did a study with their typing pool, it took their typists 2 weeks to get back to their original speed after learning the new layout, and shortly thereafter they were substantially exceeding it.

[dhunt]

The keyboard is the same you just use hot keys to switch, so learning can take as long as you want. The fact that none of the keys {except for a and m} do what they say they do does help you touch type rather quickly. The US navy did a study with their typing pool, it took their typists 2 weeks to get back to their original speed after learning the new layout, and shortly thereafter they were substantially exceeding it.

What I was trying to say was, after using a dvorak keyboard, if you went to your mates and used a qwerty keyboard how hard is it too switch between them. As I work on lots of different computers It is important for me to be able to use a standard keyboard at a reasonable speed.

[Dr Bob]

What I was trying to say was, after using a dvorak keyboard, if you went to your mates and used a qwerty keyboard how hard is it too switch between them. As I work on lots of different computers It is important for me to be able to use a standard keyboard at a reasonable speed.

Personally, I do this all the time. I have dvorak in my office and touch type, I go and teach in a class room and have to use Qwerty. If I am going to do a lot of typing I will set up the switcher (easy enough to do on Windoze or Linux (well not so easy on Linux)). And just to prove it, this last sentence was typed in qwerty (shit, the last word was easy to type).

[manuboy]

I JUST recieved my MS(ug) Natural Media kb. Can't see the problem people have with these things. It doesn't seem like a major biggie. Actually feels quite good round the wrists (hmmm...).

Has all these buttons for starting apps - usually a waste of time, but the one that starts RealPlayer is cool! Mmmm.... Interpol mmmmmmm....

Now i just gotta fnd a quite corner for myself... lucky buggers!

In response to the original Q, my mate started out by door knocking at Computerland. Another one got into IBM the same way (1993), but things have moved on since then....

p.s when did the restriction on # of smilies come in (duh)...

[MOTOXXX]

Thanks for all the response. You all are truly a bunch of great people.
I went and had a chat to the polytech before and will pop along to the open night next week.
i was thinking something like this http://www.whitireia.ac.nz/programme...n%20Technology

and maybe doing the a+ certified course the year after. ive got the a+ certified practice exam off a mate so id get a better idea of how it would go on it as i went.
Its all up in the air at the moment though so nothing definite yet.

Thanks for the pm jim. Ill definitely keep ur email address for future and always keen for a coffee or a beer. to be honest i dont have a cv at the moment. Ive been in the same job since high school when i was part time and moved up the ranks (5 years or so).
Are you going to the Bbq at Pauls on Saturday?

[Dr Bob]

Yeah, that diploma looks fairly standard. The old NZQA CBC then DipBC took 2 years, so I am assuming that this is the migration from the DipBC. It is reasonably tough to get a good overview in a 1 year course, but the job prospects from this type of course are also pretty good. You will also want to extend yourself from the basic material - employers are not especially keen on an average student or average employee. Although you can pay someone to teach you, the learning will always be your responsibility.

[MOTOXXX]

yea it used to be called dipbc
i was going to do it instead of 7th form but decided to finish school instead
and go work for a while.

[James Deuce]

Are you going to the Bbq at Pauls on Saturday?

I won't be at Paul's unfortunately.

Work experience is generally worth a lot more than "New Gradness". That's work of any kind too.

Chuck a one page CV together that tells who you are, what you've done (listing stuff you consider major that you started AND finished), and your hobbies and education level. Try to keep it that short because the agencies and employers are usually busy and appreciate brevity. You may need a CV type document for Whitireia too.

They are merely guidelines, and most employers are after a type of person for a role. You're at a good place to enter the IT workforce, but the qualifications will help you move on.


Good luck dude.

Is that TLR back on the road?