Re: Outrage that OCP exams are now unproctored - Comments?

"Niall Litchfield" <niall.litchfield_at_dial.pipex.com> wrote in news:3e142b3c$0$231$cc9e4d1f_at_news.dial.pipex.com and I quote:

>
> I can't recall *ever* seeing a job ad that required the candidate to be a
> member of (or part qualified member of if such a thing exists) the BCS. I'd
> be surprised if the same wasn't true in Oz.

Actually, for a while in the 80's membership of the ACS was desirable for certain jobs here. I still recall seeing quite a few adds askign for Analysts with ACS membership. Unfortunately back then, the ACS was run by people with vested interests. The result was a degradationn of the ACS membership significance to the same level of the OCP.

It's getting better now, but it's gonna take a while.

> at least as advertised. In my book that means that the industry doesn't
> recognise general principles and a professional approach but does recognise
> skillsets.

Only because there is no alternative. It's just like any other industry, no matter how much glamour we'd like to put into it.

> It is left to the reader to guess wether i think that this has
> anything to do with the generally abysmal record of the industry in doing
> its work, when compared to lawyers,engineers,accountants, teachers etc.

And then there are people surprised we get into "recessions" and other problems. Which are nothing more nothing less than a typical purge of undesirable elements.

I'm reminded of a pollster who approached me on holydays a while ago. You know the type: they ask you a certain number of questions and the results go into TV ratings and such.

This guy asked me what I worked at. When I said "computer software", he exclaimed: "Ah! A colleague!". He then proceeded to explain how he had taken a 6 month course on TAFE (tertiary fast education) on web-design. And having found it impossible to find a job, he had gone back to study to become a librarian.

Now I may be wrong, but the Macquarie Dictionary classifies the word colleague as follows:

"an associate in office, professional work, etc"

This guy had trained for 6 months, never actually having held a job in IT. But he was my "colleague"!!!

Never mind I spent years training, still do, and will do. Paid for out of my own pocket. And have been in IT since 1974. Yes Howard: eggsperience is not to be paraded. But it counts. It's called "seat-of-the-pants" feel. Saves time and money.

Wanna bet 3 years ago this bloke would have found a job? Back then I wouldn't be able to work in "web-design"...

At least this guy had taken a TAFE course, which has minor recognition. Many others didn't even bother with that...

Thank God for the "recession"! We might (finally!) get rid of the "colleagues"...

-- 
Cheers
Nuno Souto
nsouto_at_optusnet.com.au.nospam