I read recently that there is a critical shortage of 500,000 programmers. I went to a technical job fair yesterday, which was sponsored by over 40 companies. I have been working on a Y2K project as a system tester (the project is hopelessly bogged down by numerous delays), and went to the fair wanting to be more productive as a Y2K programmer. I expected to be flooded with offers. I imagined I would be able to "write my own ticket". I couldn't have been more wrong. I met first with the local power company, eager to offer my assistance in the area I feel is most crucial. Their rep told me they are fully staffed for Y2K. I asked the rep (who was from their HR department) what was being done. She told me "An enormous amount of time is being spent talking to our vendors and taking inventory of our software and hardware", and smiled broadly. I resisted the urge to choke her. I asked her how many programmers were actually fixing their code. She couldn't say. I offered her my resume as well as a floppy of a Y2K powerpoint presentation I created. She accepted my resume, but refused to take the disc. I met with many other companies and recruiters. While they were impressed with my experience, they kept asking me "What are your long term goals?" You can imagine my thought process: "Make as much money as I can before 2000, then hold on for dear life". NONE of the technical recruiters were aware of any Y2K programming projects. This covered all of Southeast Wisconsin and Northern Illinois!! I DID get a lengthy interview about doing more testing, but surely not everyone is ready to test. Or are they? So I ask: Where are the Y2K jobs?! P.S.: If anyone is interested in my Powerpoint presentation, please e-mail me and I will be happy to send you a copy. This is my first post here. I hope to have many more in the future.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 02, 1998

Answers

I am a consultant and I would like to know the answer to that as well. I have never been approached to work on any Y2k project. My area is client-server not mainframe. I constantly get the response "but Y2k is a mainframe problem". Boy are they wrong.

Here in Iowa, the companies do not want to pay for COBOL programmers at the going rate, so are recruiting kids away from colleges to do the work. (Great! ! Do we have confidence in those fixes?)

I won't do Y2k work as an independent due to the liability. I do not wish to get sued, because a client called me too late to get the work done.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), September 02, 1998.

Maybe you'll be needed when it's too late. I hear there are big layoffs in the semiconductor industry, and if the Dow keeps falling, expect to see more layoffs in all industries. The utility company probably didn't take your disc because of potential virus' on it.

-- Bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 02, 1998.

Steve, There are a number of factors contributing to unrealized over-demand for Y2k programmers. First, of course, is the fact that a lot of companies and government agencies are not yet at the coding stage of their Y2k projects - doesn't that give you a warm, fuzzy feeling? Another big factor is that many companies are addressing this with in-house staff taken away from other projects. An interesting result of this re-deployment is that many of the new development projects that have been suspended for want of in-house staff would have been utilizing contract help which is now left "on the beach" availabe for....you guessed it: Y2k work. Further contributing to the unexpected stability in available human resources is the fact that many companies are in fact past the programming stage and experienced Y2k contract programmers are leaving those companies and going on to help others. Yet another factor is that there has been an acceleration in the merging of IT functions of recently merged companies. These consolidated functions are dumping excess staff along with redundant systems. The systems just go away and the people go back into the labor pool to offset some of the growing demand. I offer no prediction as to when and if the extreme shortage of programmers will occur but it hasn't happened yet as you can easily see by the articles explaining that consulting companies still have capacity to add new Y2k clients and by your own experience in trying to capitalize on what was supposed to be a huge windfall profit opportunity for many programmers. My gutt feeling is that if everyone were doing what they should be at this point then there would be a severe shortage of programmers in spite of the mitigating circumstances I just mentioned.

-- Barry Bloodstone (Barryb@USA.net), September 02, 1998.

Wisconsin? Illinois? Iowa? Why would you expect there to be a lot of computer jobs there? Try Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, etc. Or try St. Louis if you like the Midwest.

-- Amy Leone (aleone@amp.com), September 03, 1998.

isn't chicago in illinois?

-- d (noway@mine.net), September 03, 1998.

Hmmm... maybe Steve should move to the east coast where are the really intelligent people are. Like the politicians, Wall Street slicksters, need I say more? Maybe the media fooled us into believing Chicago is really out east somewhere. How about "Wag the Illinois?" Some people just don't think before they blather!!

-- Dave (dave22@concentric.net), September 03, 1998.

Wow, now even people supposedly in the same camp are sniping at each other. How quickly civilization deteriorates.

-- Buddy Y. (buddy@bellatlantic.net), September 03, 1998.

Oh come on now, the same camp? Now, I'm sure Amy is a nice person and all that, but every place she mentioned was up North. Why would anybody want to work around a bunch of damn Yankees? Not that anyone down holds that minor fracas a few years against you guys or anything....

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 03, 1998.

Gee, I seem to have forgotten where Clinton and Gore are from. Are those two low lifes from the south? Someone refresh my memory please. :)

-- Dave (dave22@concentric.net), September 03, 1998.

I live in the town where state farm is headquarted. I wont mention the towns name, but many of you will know. I heard on the local radio news that there is a shortage of apartments right now because state farm brought in anywhere from two hundred to four hundred people to work on y2k.

-- ed (edrider007@aol.com), September 05, 1998.

Any of you from Georgia? :) Check out the Sept. 4 Savannah Morning News to find out what shape your school systmen is in. It's amazing how 34 million can sink into a rat hole along with the project managers. I wonder why they quit and never finished the Y2K project? By the way, my insurance angent told me two weeks ago that they will not honor ANY Y2K claims. It's a real big compnay....in the Midwest. :)

-- Dave (dave22@concentric.net), September 05, 1998.

I am aware of the State Farm situation. They are in Madison, WI. No secret there. They wanted me to relocate there. That is not an option for me. I have a stepson; there is joint custody. Therefore, I stay where I am...

I am amazed and disheartened by the quality of discussion here. Sorry, I had to say that.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 05, 1998.

Steve

There is no reason to apologize for stating an opinion, would you care to elaborate on why you are "amazed and disheartened by the quality of discussion here"?

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 05, 1998.

I am trying to make a positive contribution here. I have a sense of humor, but when the discussion deteriorates into a reenactment of the Civil War, I do not find it amusing. This is a very serious subject. A little humor now and then is needed. However, I guess either I don't "get" the attempt at humor (if that's what it is), or I am left to conclude that it isn't possible for a group of people, even those who are here for the same reason, to stay focused long enough on the topic at hand without resorting to meaningless blather... My time is valuable. I prefer to spend the limited time between now and THE DAY engaging in some (hopefully) meaningful discussion. Most of it is; that's why I will continue posting. What isn't meaningful is, to me, simply irritating.

I expect I will get angry responses. So be it.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 05, 1998.

I am trying to make a positive contribution here. I have a sense of humor, but when the discussion deteriorates into a reenactment of the Civil War, I do not find it amusing. A little humor now and then is needed. However, I guess either I don't "get" the attempt at humor (if that's what it is), or I am left to conclude that it isn't possible for a group of people, even those who are here for the same reason, to stay focused long enough on the topic at hand without resorting to meaningless blather... My time is valuable. I prefer to spend the limited time between now and THE DAY engaging in some (hopefully) meaningful discussion. Most of it is; that's why I will continue posting. What isn't meaningful is, to me, simply irritating.

I expect I will get angry responses. So be it.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 05, 1998.

Steve

Thank you for replying to my post. Perhaps I am dull, but I am still in the dark as to what, IYHO, is meaningless blather and what is meaningful discussion. I do not recall any reenactments of the Civil War taking place here, though there have been references to that sad time in our nations history sited.

This is not an angry response, I am truly trying to get to the point of "Oh yeah, I see what you mean". Would you be so kind as to site a few examples of "meaningless blather" to help me along? (Even if I am the guilty party don't be shy, we're all adults here)

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 05, 1998.

PS, everybody values their time, it is the ONE constant measure of exchange.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 05, 1998.

Reread the above posts. I do not need to nor do I intend to point out individuals. They know who they are.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 05, 1998.

Shall I take that to mean that 'meaningless' is in the eye of the beholder? If so join the crowd, that is the essence of discussion. Or would you prefer the postings of a group of 'yes massa' cultists?

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 05, 1998.

Sorry I ever mentioned it. I stated my mind; I am at peace.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 05, 1998.

I hereby site the last exchange between Deedah and Steve as "meaning less blather" (while laying no blame, mind you)

Keep posting Steve, I enjoy lively debate.

Peace

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 05, 1998.

PS, imagime the horror of being Mrs. Deedah :''')

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 05, 1998.

um, steve? state farm headquarters is in bloomington, il

-- ed (edrider007@aol.com), September 05, 1998.

My bad. I got them confused with American Family, which is in Madison.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 05, 1998.

As I shot (in jest) the first cannon in what proved to be a re-enactment of the Civil War, I apologize. [However, Gore grew up in Washington DC as the son of a Senator, supported by tobacco money. He has never touched technology (design or engineering) and is not a programmer nor IT knowledgeable. Don't rely on any blather from his office. TN and Kentucky had mixed relations in the war, with many in each state supporting the "opposite side", just like the mountain folk in West Virginia "seceeded" from Virginia when it seceeded from the US.]

Steve - Good idea to stay close with your kid, stick to your instinct and don't go far. Maybe try also the local utilities and power companies (my EMC was working on the problem, but water is behind, and sewage very far behind.) Advertise to businesses and business groups with your presentation as a focus at their meetings. I would not rely only on job fairs, i have found they are looking for "low end" hires, not experienced engineers or programmers.

In other words, they would go to a job fair expecting to get data entry positions, not design or senior testing positions.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 05, 1998.

Steve, I had a similar experience. I thought it would be good if I tried to be a part of the solution instead of part of the problem (pointing fingers). So, with a Master's degree in Computer Science and some (not a lot) of programming experience, I contacted three companies. One said, "No need." One was exuberant and never called again. The third said they only hire new college grads for ~$28K/year. My thought: "Never mind." I preach "Contingency Planning" wherever I go, but there isn't even much interest in that. I have some experience in Risk Analysis, which is one step ahead of contingency planning. So, I'm doing my own contingency planning AND acting! Regards ............ gary

-- Gary Carlson (gscarlsn@erols.com), September 08, 1998.