REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

alex.w *// · 01-12-2010, 07:37 PM

what is the job outcome if i take this co-op course at bcit?

computer information and computer systems technology

basically IT stuff, are IT persons in high demand right now?

fatal · 01-12-2010, 09:26 PM

There are few job openings here and there, but speaking from someone who took this program, its going to be hard to find a job right now. There are too many unemployed IT people with years of experience right now and as a new graduate it will be tough to land a job competing against those individuals. Alot of companies are also paying less for most jobs due to the fact that there are alot of people looking for jobs. I would say things are still pretty rough out there.

iamon · 01-14-2010, 10:55 AM

yeah I graduated from the IT specialist program at VCC and the outcome is usually entry level help desk. The job market is really bad right now, I currently have a job but do not enjoy it and is unrelated to IT. Most IT jobs now require you to have years of experience and certificates and they aren't really high paying jobs. I'm just hoping I can land one of the few jobs there are available right now.

tool001 · 01-14-2010, 12:41 PM

if ur young, and able, do some professional training, ie, electrician ..plumbing... always evergreen jobs.

Glove · 01-14-2010, 02:58 PM

steer clear of IT,

why hire you when they can hire a 10+ year experienced guy for the same money,

or hire a high school kid for half the money, either way you lose

willystyle · 01-14-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRD2005

yeah I graduated from the IT specialist program at VCC and the outcome is usually entry level help desk. The job market is really bad right now, I currently have a job but do not enjoy it and is unrelated to IT. Most IT jobs now require you to have years of experience and certificates and they aren't really high paying jobs. I'm just hoping I can land one of the few jobs there are available right now.

I went through the same program as you. Which yr were you in?

MaximalLazy · 01-14-2010, 07:58 PM

need more good insight for this topic!! What are all the IT people graduating from Universities going to doooooo

willystyle · 01-14-2010, 09:18 PM

Software Developing (especially web development) is where the money is at for entry level IT jobs.

Otherwise, for Network/Hardware Support, it's gonna take years before you can move up and make some decent coin.

syee · 01-15-2010, 08:13 AM

I think with IT type jobs you need to find yourself a niche market to get into. Your regular helpdesk tech isn't going to pay you much. You're also going to start off low. It's the nature of the business. You have to start somewhere.

I graduated from the BCIT CST program 11 years ago and I also started out entry level doing tech support at my current (and only) employer which made digital phone recording solutions. Pay was crap at the start $30k starting + benefits. The job however was highly technical and the usual turnaround time to train someone to a level where they would be productive was about 1 year. With that type of investment made by the company, they would be more reluctant to let people go due to how much they had invested. Also, if you end up getting good at your job, your pay goes up accordingly. Right now, I'm making 3x as much as what I started off with.

Of course there's a trade off with working on proprietary solutions. Some of the knowledge you'll gain from the job won't be transferable to other jobs. It's something you have to weigh in on when you make the decision.

I think most University/Technical College (aka BCIT) focus on software development. At least that was the way it was when I was at BCIT. I had no desire to go that route so I went into the support end. BCIT at least gives you options to choose from in the 2nd year so you can focus on a specific area that interests you.

Also, if you are starting out, try to rack up as many certifications as you can if you want to get into the IT support field. Without proven experience, certifications may be the only "proof" (however weak that is) that you actually know your stuff. If you can't show you've worked on it, at least show that you know enough to pass a test.

iamon · 01-19-2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willystyle

I went through the same program as you. Which yr were you in?

I finished in December 07. I wish I could really find a job right now that was IT related, I have a few interviews lined up but most are not related to IT

MaximalLazy · 01-19-2010, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRD2005

I finished in December 07. I wish I could really find a job right now that was IT related, I have a few interviews lined up but most are not related to IT

What does the IT specialist program focus on?

iamon · 01-19-2010, 04:17 PM

The VCC program really was to give you an experience of everything, office suite, hardware, VB programming, systems analysis etc. The end result would be to prepare you for an entry level help desk position. VCC no longer offers this program due to budget cutbacks.

willystyle · 01-19-2010, 06:52 PM

I graduated from the ITS program in May 2007. The program is a joke. For anyone who wish to consider going into IT, and to diversify their career, BCIT is the way to go.

g604 · 01-19-2010, 09:09 PM

I.T. is weak all day you get treated like a bitch people that get paid higher than you asking you to do the most easiest and annoying things all day something that a 5 year old kid with common sense can find out.

1. I.T they dont pay you enough for the stress you go through
2. Higher ups and company ceos treat your department like shit and barely give money to work with
3. A hotter dumber marketing employee will get hired and get payed more than you at the start
4. Once shit starts failing they blame it on you but it could of easily been solved if management put money in for upgrades
5. Yet I say again higher ups think I.T is a joke even though there company relies on IT to operate
6. Even with certs its though to get pay raises
7. Yes you start off by doing help desk support which ruins your brain

I.T is a rough its a hard knock life

bcrdukes · 01-19-2010, 09:51 PM

^
Holy shit, that's so bitter, but man, it made me laugh and made my day because it's so fucking true. If I ever see you on the street, remind me to buy you a beer.

willystyle · 01-19-2010, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g604

I.T. is weak all day you get treated like a bitch people that get paid higher than you asking you to do the most easiest and annoying things all day something that a 5 year old kid with common sense can find out.

1. I.T they dont pay you enough for the stress you go through
2. Higher ups and company ceos treat your department like shit and barely give money to work with
3. A hotter dumber marketing employee will get hired and get payed more than you at the start
4. Once shit starts failing they blame it on you but it could of easily been solved if management put money in for upgrades
5. Yet I say again higher ups think I.T is a joke even though there company relies on IT to operate
6. Even with certs its though to get pay raises
7. Yes you start off by doing help desk support which ruins your brain

I.T is a rough its a hard knock life

This is why I dropped IT, and is doing something totally different now.

Don't get me wrong, IT can be a good industry work in, just not in support, for the large part.

CCSP · 01-21-2010, 11:16 PM

10char

rageguy · 01-22-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syee

Pay was crap at the start $30k starting + benefits. Right now, I'm making 3x as much as what I started off with.

$90k+benefits for hardware support? that's unbelievable.

willystyle · 01-22-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rageguy

$90k+benefits for hardware support? that's unbelievable.

I agree. That is unbelievable.

syee · 01-22-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rageguy

$90k+benefits for hardware support? that's unbelievable.

I have to say...I did get pretty lucky. A large part of the boost came during the relocation that I had to do 2 years into the job to Denver, CO. They were throwing quite a bit of money to entice a few of us to move to help start up the new facility in Denver. Also, staying at the same company and working through the ranks for the last 11 years helps.

The company that hired me was pretty much all BCIT grads from various fields. Some of them from the telecommunications program, some from their electronics program. When they hired me, there were two of us from the CST program, but at the time, they were pretty gung ho about hiring BCIT grads.

The job isn't strictly hardware/IT tech though. It's a mix of computer hardware, software support, and telecom. The job requires extensive knowledge in a lot of varied fields. (TSQL, PBX administration, networking, computer hardware (including our proprietary hardware), and some good ol troubleshooting know how.)

Getting into something that's a niche market that has a bunch of proprietary stuff makes your skills that much more valuable once you learn it. If you're good at what you do, you'll be able to negotiate top dollar for what you know. It limits your future options somehow but if you're planning to stick around, you'll only get more and more valuable.

Anyways, in my opinion, I think that Vancouver may be a little oversaturated with IT talent. Almost everybody around here knows how to fix a computer and you need to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Although not a guarantee, certifications are a good start. Especially for brand new technologies or "hot" industries (like Cisco or VoIP that's beginning to really take off)

dj bally · 02-05-2010, 11:37 AM

hey guys sorry to highjack the thread but im currently in my first year at kwantlen taking the computer informations system which is pre-requisite to get into the BTECH program...i have no idea wtf i wanan do for a career....i hate software and want to work with hardware components but by looking at this thread it seems that there isnt much out there in vancouver for someone like me...should i get out of the program now and steer another direction is the job market really that bad??

syee · 02-05-2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj bally

hey guys sorry to highjack the thread but im currently in my first year at kwantlen taking the computer informations system which is pre-requisite to get into the BTECH program...i have no idea wtf i wanan do for a career....i hate software and want to work with hardware components but by looking at this thread it seems that there isnt much out there in vancouver for someone like me...should i get out of the program now and steer another direction is the job market really that bad??

I think the better question to ask yourself is do you have the passion for the field? If you don't then you're just going to hate the schooling and eventually hate your job.

There's always positions out there, but I think there's an unrealistic expectation that an IT type job is going to rake in the big bucks which honestly isn't the case when you're starting out. Everyone starts out somewhere and when you're just starting out, you're going to have to deal with the crappy pay and menial jobs. If you were the one shelling out money to employ someone, wouldn't you want the best if you were paying top dollar? Employers are always willing to give a fresh out of school kid a chance - but not for top dollar. As you'll probably find out, pay is linked very much to experience - as with any field you get into.

If you're unsure about your schooling or career path, then focus on that first. Figure out what you want to be doing for the next 40 years. If it's not IT related then that's fine - just figure out what you do want, and be focused on that and go for it. Going to school just because "it's what the parents want" just builds career students (people who never get a job and just keep going to school for "something to do"). Take a part time job or do some volunteer work while you figure it out. At least that way, you'll be getting paid, or getting some experience in the meantime rather than taking courses at school that are ultimately of no use to where you want to be.

CA_FTW · 02-17-2010, 11:50 AM

The Future of IT is Virtualization..

I would be heading that route if i were you ..

I work IT, I worked as a Hardware Tech for 4 years before getting any kinda Degree. Then i just went for a Quick Degree at CDI college, and that Degree plus my experaince, got me a Job right away..

working for The Federal Government.. I think to many people are just getting book smart but no real experaince..

go work for the tech shop down the street, get paid $12 an hour, its worth it for the experaince, and then get your book smarts.. and you will be the full package that employers are looking for..

hell i still work at a tech shop on the weekends.. just to kepe my on the edge for all the crap thats going on..

chinook79 · 02-18-2010, 06:35 AM

back in the days.. before the bubble bust (2001) my R&D project manager was getting love call for about 190k US + all living expense paid...
after the bubble, lots of companies went belly up and my company shut down hardware R&D department then software department afterwards.. I left IT since...
My friend who's still in IT, avg about 70~100k a year as projectg manager with 10+ yr experience.. less than half of what they were making before the bubble bust..

Still not bad.. I guess..