I'm drawn to post this thread due to an item in the news to do with the shortage of young people wanting to train in IT jobs. They are desperate for skilled people in computer sciences especially. Why did they not want to do it? Because they think of IT as "boring". Sitting in front of boring computers, with boring people, being bored out of their heads. The fact that IT is one of the most dynamic of industries, has not been communicated to these students, so they go to University and are coming out of University with degrees in English Literature, Media Studies, Acting, Mythology etc etc, Unless you are very very good at these subjects, the degree may only lead you into a life of Retail Selling, Unemployment, or a position in IT at one third of the salary you would have had if you'd studied it properly. You may even end up selling to your class nerd, petrol at your local garage.
The world needs all types of people who do many different types of jobs. Just because you believe that everyone should learn about IT jobs doesn't mean that they ever will. I'd agree that IT jobs are well paying but there are also many other jobs that pay as well or better out there waiting to be had.
I knew a guy that got a PhD in English literature, and worked in a call centre for British Gas for about a year, until a better job came up, .. back in Academia. Admittedly he's doing rather well now, revising the OED. I think he got lucky, and many aren't. I've been quite happy in IT. 20 years so far, quite varied, some travel, but not too much, worked with a good bunch, was with an ISP during the .com boom, and cash aplenty, and largely I get to work from home now, so no commute, which saves me lots of time and money.
Come on Cosmic. That's not a fair summary of what I was saying, is it? I gave IT as an example, but I could include other science based jobs, like industrial chemistry. Again, just an example.
I remember some time ago it was suggested that IT (System Administrators etc) have one of the worst type of job for Depression. It's not just the long hours that can be unsocialable, it's also because an IT guy needs to know how to fix any problem that arises on a network or on a computer. This means that IT is a "Practition" since you are always practicing and learning how to deal with new problems. This is the main problem with IT related academic accreditation as it's also often suggested that should a person participate in a 3 year degree, by the second year what they learnt in the first is obslete. It's definitely a job for people that like to solve problems and don't mind spending hours to work them out. A decent IT guy will have the equivalent of an Engineers handbook, where by any event is given a complete diagnosis and the attempted cure written too. This means that should they come across future problems they have a potential quick reference on how to fix it, potentially being able to skip any logical tangents that might have been previously applied during the first fix attempt. (Like not reloading a server by checking the wires first, rather than reloading the server and finding that checking the wires would have resolved the problem.) So is the job boring? well yes if you aren't interested in being the proverbial oil that lubricates the cogs to keep them turning, if your interest was say car mechanics then obviously IT is going to be boring, but to the IT guy, a car engine might be boring.
Definitely. I'm looking for an exit strategy, 20years in IT, and I'm pretty tired of re-learning stuff to stay put. A colleague of mine recently took voluntary redundancy to become a gardener. Not sure what I want to do yet, but it's nearly time to hang up my boots. I've administered 13 distinct flavours of Operating System so far. I think that's too many.
they will all ways be looking for It "Practitioners" at least untill they finally have reached the limits of CPU design.
The world is full of different types of people. After my degree was won, I worked as a science teacher at high school for a few years, till I realised I was a lousy teacher (Obviously, I am a slow learner). Some years later I fell into a job I actually enjoyed, and paid well. I became a travelling salesman, dealing with industrial chemicals. I now have my own small chemical business. My shortcoming is a lack of interest in 'nitty gritty' methodical work. But the world is full of all kinds of people, and there are plenty who regard me as almost insane for having been in sales. Personally, I could never be an accountant, or lawyer, or IT specialist, having to work through intensive problem solving. But there are lots of people for whom that is meat and drink. We need to respect human diversity. Mind you, I agree with the first post, in which some derision was thrown on those who study 'useless' subjects. I would like to see some kind of taxpayer funded incentive scheme, to encourage students to go into subject areas leading to careers of genuine value to society.
I agree with you, 20+ here too but I'm 50 so not sure what else I would do now, IT has been great though and I don't think I would have been as happy doing something else in those years.
Good get out, i'm so sick of working with people in I.T still trying to chase dollars or sleeping at a desk. It won't happen anymore and the sooner they get out and get that Real estate job or retire the better off the I.T field and those it supports, will be.
