Re: ADVERTISING SUPPORT FOR AS/400 ANNOUNCEMENT -- MIDRANGE-L

Dave,

In a message dated 97-08-15 06:44:56 EDT, you write:

> I'm sort of surprised about the percieved lack of college support.  As a
>  technical recruiter, I work primarily in the midrange arena.  I've found
that
>  many of the Community and Junior colleges in the South offer AS/400
classes
>  and programs...I have made it a point to try to develop a personal rapport
>  with the instructors and program leaders at several of these schools.  

Yes, but are they GOOD classes?  As I stated earlier, one of my client's
employees left Community College thinking that PDM (Program Development
Manager) was only good for viewing files, when it in fact is the CORE of all
AS/400 program development.

>  In fact...one school recently placed 94% of their graduates of their 2-yr
>  program.  The DEMAND for graduates is not percieved, but very real.  Most
>  recent graduates with AS degrees start out as operators or junior
programmers
>  below $10/hr but advancement can be very rapid.  Three years of solid
>  experience and progression can allow programmers to earn in the mid $30K's
>  minimum, often up to $45K.  I'm really surprised that more people do not
take
>  this educational track because of the rapid pay-off.

Well, don't you SEE though?  If you have a DEGREE associated with the AS/400,
operations should be COMPLETELY out of the question (/400 operators are few
and far between anyhow).  Having seen what passes for a Senior P/A on the
AS/400, a degreed individual shouldn't have to settle for a Junior Programmer
position as well, if that degree is worth more than the paper that it's
written on.

I don't place much stock in the "progression" path either.  My primary client
just had a person that was recently promoted to Senior P/A leave for an even
better job at another company.  "Franny" was promoted merely because she had
a degree.  From a technical standpoint, "Franny" was not as good as another
at the site that is still categorized as a Programmer III.

>  From my experiences in recruiting nationwide and placing regionally in the
>  South and Midwest, I know that obvious regional preferences come into
play,
>  but the AS/400 programs in the South are being pushed and nurtured for the
>  most part.  Typical programs include COBOL, RPG variants, operations, and
>  control languages.  

Yes, but again are they GOOD programs?

>  If anyone wants more info, drop me a line and I can recommend some 
> successful
>  schools and programs.

Feel free to send them to me directly.  I'd be happy to evaluate anything
local...

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-Mail:  DAsmussen@AOL.COM

"Laugh and the world laughs with you.  Snore, and you sleep alone." -- Mrs.
Patrick Campbell
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