SA needs more IT graduates

[Bageloo]

IMHO a degree only gives you a better chance of getting an entry level job over someoine who doesn't have a degree. After that it's up to you what you make of things. I currently contract at a company whose CIO / COO (IT) doesn't have a degree and have worked at one of the big 4 auditing firms where IT audit partner never had a degree.
Experience and being able to do the job are the biggest criteria in the industry.

It was possible to get a job in IT without a degree in the past but nowadays the only job you can get in IT without a degree is a helpdesk or end user support. Needless to say, you will end up with peanuts for a salary.

 

[McSack]

check www.pnet.co.za, lots of jobs there. upload CV, I'm still getting calls every week from recruiting agencies and ppl...eish

I have a Bsc. IT degree from Potchefstroom University (now North-West University), took about 2 months to find a decent programming job

Took me 2 months and I took the first thing I could get. Long hours, low pay but learned plenty and moved on from there. Never looked back

 

[graviti]

My issue is, is that they complain about the shortage, but those of us with degrees are battling to find jobs in the line we studied. We have to settle for the helpdesk jobs in the meantime.

While we are on the topic of projects, anyone got any pet projects with which I can keep myself occupied whilst trying to learn C#. I hate MS tutorials, as they not detailed enough. I want something with a little juice.

 

[Bageloo]

BSc (CSIT) [Bachelor of Science, (Computer Science and Information Technology)] from UND/UKZN. My final year was during the change from University of Natal, Durban, to University of Kwazulu Natal.

I happen to have the exact same degree. I struggled to find meanigful work until i moved to jo'burg. Durban's is not the place to be if you want a career in IT. There isn't much happening there!
On a lighter note though, Are Jane Meyrowits, Murrell, Sartori-Angus, Goddard still there at UND?

 

[icyrus]

My issue is, is that they complain about the shortage, but those of us with degrees are battling to find jobs in the line we studied. We have to settle for the helpdesk jobs in the meantime.

While we are on the topic of projects, anyone got any pet projects with which I can keep myself occupied whilst trying to learn C#. I hate MS tutorials, as they not detailed enough. I want something with a little juice.

I would recommend you head over to http://www.sf.net and find a project there that piques your interest and contribute.

 

[protzkrog]

While we are on the topic of projects, anyone got any pet projects with which I can keep myself occupied whilst trying to learn C#. I hate MS tutorials, as they not detailed enough. I want something with a little juice.

ja, thats k@k, one needs a real life thing to learn, something lekker difficult, so you can struggle and figure the stuff out for yourself, you can check out www.codeproject.com, lots of stuff there.

and as far as I could find out from all the job sites, the best paying IT jobs are in JHB and PTA, with some in CPT as well. If you want to make money, you have to move to the city.

One k@k thing about University degrees tho is the limit of practical experience, guys at technikon have to do practical time in the industry. At univ you learn a lot of theory, but not really how to apply it in the real world. That's one thing I think they can change, even if it's only a month of compulsary practicals in the field.

 

[noxibox]

The biggest problem is finding companies willing to take on students for vacation work. They all whine about a lack of practical skills, but they all disappear when students are trying to find some practical experience while studying.

 

[graviti]

I happen to have the exact same degree. I struggled to find meanigful work until i moved to jo'burg. Durban's is not the place to be if you want a career in IT. There isn't much happening there!
On a lighter note though, Are Jane Meyrowits, Murrell, Sartori-Angus, Goddard still there at UND?

Goddard left in 2001, Murrell (I think) has left. Last I knew both Sartori-Angus and Meyerowitz were still there. Some other funny people joined as well. Was funny. 2003 they introduced a lecturer who didn't last more than a week. They failed to notice on the CV, that although he was African, he couldn't speak English, Afrikaans or Zulu. He could only speak French. Didn't help much. So they had to stop him lecturing until he had learn't English. I think he is actually still there. I'd heard he had started lecturing. Supposed to be really good in the CS field

 

[Drone 42]

One k@k thing about University degrees tho is the limit of practical experience, guys at technikon have to do practical time in the industry. At univ you learn a lot of theory, but not really how to apply it in the real world. That's one thing I think they can change, even if it's only a month of compulsary practicals in the field.

Agree

 

[baasvandieplaas]

as long as there is a shortage my son will be earning mega bucks

all previously disadvantage ppl want to be managers, well if there are no ppl to manage what happens...

my son is more than happy not to manage ppl and earn more than his managers

 

[kaspaas]

If IT companies in ZA knew how to look after their staff people might stay with them for longer. IT staff dont make good corporate citizens, they have a terrible tendency to think for themselves.

Not only that - they are high risk corporate citizens as they get to know the inside of every office and system.

IT people tend to be the first to know about bad internal things like fraud etc.

Getting and retaining decent IT guys is a high risk action for many corporates and civil service divisions.

I once did support for a smallish legal company, and lost my respect for everthing called "The Law" when I realised how the systems were twisted to make the most out of the suckers they sued on behalf of a bank while staying well within the boundries of "the law" & "ethics".

 

[rsachoc]

IMHO a degree only gives you a better chance of getting an entry level job over someoine who doesn't have a degree. After that it's up to you what you make of things. I currently contract at a company whose CIO / COO (IT) doesn't have a degree and have worked at one of the big 4 auditing firms where IT audit partner never had a degree.
Experience and being able to do the job are the biggest criteria in the industry.

I don't know of any professional client facing staff at the Big Four that do not have a degree. I highly doubt there would be a partner at any of the Big Four who didn't have a degree

 

[Chatmaster]

I hate it when some guy issues a press release filled with nonsense to promote his own industry and in the end benefit from that. There is no shortage that I am aware of in the IT industry, infact there are many that are looking. I wonder how many children will make a career change because of this nonsense and be stuck without work because there is over supply.

 

[Bageloo]

Goddard left in 2001, Murrell (I think) has left. Last I knew both Sartori-Angus and Meyerowitz were still there. Some other funny people joined as well. Was funny. 2003 they introduced a lecturer who didn't last more than a week. They failed to notice on the CV, that although he was African, he couldn't speak English, Afrikaans or Zulu. He could only speak French. Didn't help much. So they had to stop him lecturing until he had learn't English. I think he is actually still there. I'd heard he had started lecturing. Supposed to be really good in the CS field

I know what you mean. We also had a lecturer from Cameroon also french speaking, I think his name was Tapamo or something like that. It was very frustrating having to wait for him whilst he was fishing for an English word to use whilst lecturing. Eventually I just quit his module - computer organisation

 

[McSack]

I don't know of any professional client facing staff at the Big Four that do not have a degree. I highly doubt there would be a partner at any of the Big Four who didn't have a degree

Believe it. It happened. (admittedly he was the first to make partner with no degree - not sure there have been any more). Also quite a few non-degreed people in the dept I worked in who were all client facing (middle management positions so these weren't juniors busy completing degrees)

 

[Cara]

Goddard left in 2001, Murrell (I think) has left. Last I knew both Sartori-Angus and Meyerowitz were still there. Some other funny people joined as well. Was funny. 2003 they introduced a lecturer who didn't last more than a week. They failed to notice on the CV, that although he was African, he couldn't speak English, Afrikaans or Zulu. He could only speak French. Didn't help much. So they had to stop him lecturing until he had learn't English. I think he is actually still there. I'd heard he had started lecturing. Supposed to be really good in the CS field

ROFL ... that's gotta be a first! See they have a very stringent hiring process over there!

 

[Chavez]

IMHO a degree only gives you a better chance of getting an entry level job over someoine who doesn't have a degree. After that it's up to you what you make of things. I currently contract at a company whose CIO / COO (IT) doesn't have a degree and have worked at one of the big 4 auditing firms where IT audit partner never had a degree.
Experience and being able to do the job are the biggest criteria in the industry.

I fully agree with you!! That piece of paper means squat compared to experience, exposure and your attitude to want to learn ALL the time in the IT sector.

As a senior software developer (owning my own company with partners) I'd take any developer on who constantly keeps him/herself up to date with the latest technologies and development skills than someone who's wanting to walk into a high paying job based on their qualifications. Your attitude says much about whether you're in it for the money or the money AND cause you love what you do!!

Don't get me wrong...tertiary eduction is essential , hell even I'm still studying part time, but it's got more to do about your attitude and approach to the market that sells you in an interview. Show the interviewer that you're passionate about your 'hobby' and things will fall into place

 

[Gothan]

check www.pnet.co.za, lots of jobs there. upload CV, I'm still getting calls every week from recruiting agencies and ppl...eish

I have a Bsc. IT degree from Potchefstroom University (now North-West University), took about 2 months to find a decent programming job

Ja but it also depends in what you program. People that specialise in VB are a dime a dozen...kick over a rock and 75 vb programmers are sitting there working a n inneffective language

I have been in the IT industry for 8 years now, never did get a degree in it, but started at the bottom and worked hard and now I am finally getting paid what I think is right

And also studied at PUKKE altho not IT, but that was a very very long time ago

 

[protzkrog]

Ja but it also depends in what you program. People that specialise in VB are a dime a dozen...kick over a rock and 75 vb programmers are sitting there working a n inneffective language

I have been in the IT industry for 8 years now, never did get a degree in it, but started at the bottom and worked hard and now I am finally getting paid what I think is right

ja, everyone knows VB, my year group was the last that did JAVA and VB, now they are doing C# and JAVA. Currently I'm coding in C#, had to give myself a crash course in it in 2 weeks. But now all's well. Hard work is the most important thing.

And also studied at PUKKE altho not IT, but that was a very very long time ago

Potch rock, lekker Midknights...R6 for a double brandy...eish kopseer..

 

[TelkomUseless]

My Question is how much do grads think they must earn when they start to work?

When you start.. you earn squat because you KNOW squat. You THINK you know everything (I was there).

Take the job, and get experience!!

Edit: I also think IT companies don't look after their employees.