Posted on 07/21/2009 5:31:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Quality Assurance is all about methodology that is not language specific and is integral to all structured software developement life cycles.
Sounds like the kinda guy you wouldn’t want to be in the same boat with.
This is why I chose electrical engineering over computer science - 30 years ago. Maxwell’s equations never get outdated.
Exactly!
You’d be surprised. COBOL is still heavily used on Mainframes at Banks for massive number crunching. There’s really nothing better at doing it!
BUT...most of those programs have been in place for decades, and continuous development isn’t common, so demand for coders stays really low.
LOL, never heard of that one. My uncle and brother are IT guys and will pass that along.
Henceforth I dub thee COBOL KILLA’!!
Sorry, but every QA person I ever dealt with thought they were programmers but didn’t have the training. They never failed to blame the programming staff when they signed off for the programs to go into productiion though.
Me three.
Anyone with outdated skills can always go to work for the government. Government is so far behind the times, that they are still using obsolete equipment and programs and buying parts for old computers on ebay.
In a Computerworld 2009 annual Forecast survey, IT pros were asked to name the hottest IT skills in 2009. I’ve noted the key points of each skill, and provided additional reading on each topic, in a format that’s easy to peruse for your viewing pleasure. (A nod to everyone out there who, like me, passed college thanks to CliffsNotes.)
1. Programming/application development
SAP, .NET, and C# are cited as the hottest skills in this segment right now. The study estimates that SAP experts make $35 to $40 per hour more than average senior technicians.
2. Help desk/technical support
This one shouldn’t come as a surprise—with increased outsourcing and more people expressing frustration over conversing with support staff that aren’t from America, having a sharp personality and the ability to explain complex problems simply is in high demand.
3. Project management
Many professionals, despite their experience and savvy, do not have good organization and project management skills. If you are able to acquire these skills and take on a leadership role in projects, you’ll be indispensible to your organization.
4. Networking
With the increase in unified communications, there’s a high demand for individuals who are knowledgeable in the latest networking technologies.
5. Business intelligence
When it comes to BI, individuals who can understand the systems and collect the right data are obviously valuable. Though, IT pros who can think in terms of business strategy, driving creative ideas for what data to pull and how to use it, are of extreme value.
6. Security
Security threats are abundant and always growing. Organizations not only need someone with a background in security, but also someone who can be proactive and forsee potential threats and eliminate them.
7. Web 2.0
Social networking becomes a bigger part of modern-day business every day, and it’s not just limited to Millennials. If you feel like you came to the party too late and won’t be able to keep up with the new tools, you’re wrong. Most of them are surprisingly intuitive.
8. Data center
Understanding the data center and virtualization is critical, as organizations move to cut energy and storage costs. While many general IT pros are expected to learn these skills, becoming an expert in virtualization will be a smart move.
9. Telecommunications
VoIP, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, Bluetooth—become familiar with these technologies, the devices that are using them, and what growing role they will have in the future.
Phew. I was sweating bullets the whole time I read this article but it was such a relief to reach the end of it and realize that none of those skills apply to me.
Pays $12 an hour, mostly due to outsourcing, where you talk to a guy name "Sean" with an Indian accent.
Also see here :
http://www.sap-img.com/the-top-it-skills-to-have.htm
The top ten IT skills to have for the next few years
This is not a scientific survey, but merely the opinions of a few agents that we asked. If you have a highly valued skill that isn’t on here, don’t worry, this is not definitive, but merely the opinions of a few agents. I’m sure if we’d polled others the list might have been slightly different.
Skills on the Up
We polled a number of agents and other sources of information and came up with the following skills that are likely to be on the up over the next few years. Anyone with these skills is likely to be employed, at good rates, even taking into account offshore outsourcing and Fast Track Visa Workers.
1. J2EE
2. .Net
3. C#
4. Project Management
5. Oracle
6. SAP
7. Business Analysis
8. VB.net
9. NT Novell
10. Java
NOTE: It won’t harm you to put your career in mastering Microsoft tools. Three of the top 10 skills are Microsoft technology related ( .NET, C# and VB.net ).
Ouch.
It wasn't that bad, just make sure you didn't have a typo. I found it easier to get along with than UNIX shell scripting.
Was doing contract work for IBM in sept 2001; system shipped to India; we were all laid off. I have never been able to find a job as a programmer since then. I even went back to school and passed an Oracle 8i dba certification course to no avail. I work as a computer field tech for a nationwide tax firm, making 75% less money, but would love a chance to get back into it.
Yes, but you have to be a certain color in most cases.
I started out as an Assembler programmer. I’m a fossil.
Usually, yes, but I know a couple of old white guys who are still working for the government doing things the old-school way because the government can’t get its new, expensive stuff to work properly.
I’m sure somebody made a bundle from selling our government the new, “improved” programs that don’t work.
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