McKown, John wrote:
[snip]
Arrogant, or realistic? I've had too many cases of applications people
trying things beyond their knowledge and ending up being saddled with
supporting their junk (not as much now since applications on z/OS is
basically told to be 100% COBOL or EasyTrieve). Now, you'd like argue
that means that the applications people need training. I would agree
with you 100% on that.
Great.
But management generally would disagree. People
are, mostly, regarded as a disposable commodity anymore. If a person
doesn't know, or cannot self-educate, then that proves them to be
obsolete and in needing of replacement.
Well, that has been evident over the last several years.
And frustrating for us and for all people in IT.
But we are beginning to see hints that may be changing.
Just last Friday, we had one email (from India) and two
phone calls (one from NJ, one from NC) inquiring about
training. Too soon to say if any work will result from
any of these, but we like to look at them as omens that
at least some management is beginning to realize that
formal, well-designed training is a quick, effective way
to upgrade their people's skills, and that those skills
indeed need updating.
If everyone outsources and uses the same software packages,
how can one firm promote any advantages over its competitors?
The companies themselves become commodities, competing solely
on price. The Wal-Mart mentality comes home to roost.
It's time to start differentiating one's company from the
pack based on quality and services as well as (or, better,
instead of) price. It's time to invest money and time in
people to provide the infrastructure for innovative and
competitive ways to attract and keep customers. Part of
the formula for this is a well-trained, well-motivated
work force.
And those of us in the trenches are not powerless. But
it takes courage to stand up to the common concensus
when we know it's not necessarily the best way to go.
But now's a good time to promote mainframe capabilities
in the face of Windows mindsets. Now's a good time to
learn what the mainframe can do, and to promote this.
If you use us, that's great. If you do self-learning:
that's great too. If you use our competitors, that's,
well, not bad. (<g>).
--
Kind regards,
-Steve Comstock
The Trainer's Friend, Inc.
303-393-8716
http://www.trainersfriend.com
z/OS Application development made easier
* Our classes include
+ How things work
+ Programming examples with realistic applications
+ Starter / skeleton code
+ Complete working programs
+ Useful utilities and subroutines
+ Tips and techniques
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
