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I'm interested in this. I happen to be in a field in which skills do not go stale, even if one were out of a job for a year. Perhaps one might get "out of the groove", but their skills would not go stale in a year, or perhaps more!
Anyone care to chime in on this and explain how "technology is advancing EVERYDAY" and how skills in some fields can go stale?
Lastly, what should we do for those whose skills have gone stale? Abandon them? Shut them out of a field? Force them into poverty because they are going through a rough time in a less-than-stellar economy?
Software development (particularly mobile) is a field where skills deteriorate and go stale fairly quickly. What languages and tools are in vogue changes rapidly, sometimes within months. People have to constantly stay abreast of whatever niche field there in and what the comings and goings on.
Software development (particularly mobile) is a field where skills deteriorate and go stale fairly quickly. What languages and tools are in vogue changes rapidly, sometimes within months. People have to constantly stay abreast of whatever niche field there in and what the comings and goings on.
But the problem is, any competent well trained person can pick up a new skill.
I continued training when I was between jobs. It gave the impression that I was still current in my field even when I was not working and showed that I was not the type who was just looking to sit around and collect for as long as I could. Self motivated. I was asked what I was doing with my free time at interviews and my answer seemed to go over well.
From a mechanical engineering perspective, unless the job itself is solely focused on cutting edge fields that have recently been invented or completely transformed, the "skills going stale" excuse is just that - a groundless excuse not to hire older workers or the unemployed.
The facts are that if somebody was a good engineer for years, got laid off, and then is back in their field, they'll do fine. Sure, they may have to learn the new menu layout for their favorite piece of software - the horror, the horror! - but guess what? So does everyone else who uses that software. Same idea with a lot of new technology. There's nothing preventing an unemployed or older worker from learning something new when it's just adding a bit to what they already know.
As for what to do with people who have been caught by this trap, we all know what the answer is... at least from some people... The "force them into poverty" option is currently most popular, along with idiotic statements about "brushing up your skills in your free time" - as if the average person is going to be able to buy software for home use that costs many thousands of dollars per seat and then use that software to gain years of professional experience designing jet engines, automobiles, or oil piplines in their basement... right...
From a mechanical engineering perspective, unless the job itself is solely focused on cutting edge fields that have recently been invented or completely transformed, the "skills going stale" excuse is just that - a groundless excuse not to hire older workers or the unemployed.
The facts are that if somebody was a good engineer for years, got laid off, and then is back in their field, they'll do fine. Sure, they may have to learn the new menu layout for their favorite piece of software - the horror, the horror! - but guess what? So does everyone else who uses that software. Same idea with a lot of new technology. There's nothing preventing an unemployed or older worker from learning something new when it's just adding a bit to what they already know.
As for what to do with people who have been caught by this trap, we all know what the answer is... at least from some people... The "force them into poverty" option is currently most popular, along with idiotic statements about "brushing up your skills in your free time" - as if the average person is going to be able to buy software for home use that costs many thousands of dollars per seat and then use that software to gain years of professional experience designing jet engines, automobiles, or oil piplines in their basement... right...
And here's the other issue... Even if you bought the latest and greatest CAD/CAM software to learn on and/or took a class, companies wouldn't consider that "real experience."
That's not to mention that some software costs $10,000 or more and classes, depending on who offers them, are not cheap.
In the IT world, it's akin to learning Cisco routers. Most people can't afford the nice ones, and can't afford the fiber or just can't plain out get fiber. Also, the Cisco classes/certs run $3000-4000 at the local community college.
And here's the other issue... Even if you bought the latest and greatest CAD/CAM software to learn on and/or took a class, companies wouldn't consider that "real experience."
That's not to mention that some software costs $10,000 or more and classes, depending on who offers them, are not cheap.
In the IT world, it's akin to learning Cisco routers. Most people can't afford the nice ones, and can't afford the fiber or just can't plain out get fiber. Also, the Cisco classes/certs run $3000-4000 at the local community college.
Precisely, and even if I could magic up the software experience somehow - or the company gave me a skills test on the software and I passed it thanks to learning it at home somehow - I *still* wouldn't meet the industry specific experience requirements needed to change industries: automotive, aircraft design, etc. And there's no way to gain that stuff on your own unless you're already so wealthy you don't need to work. It's a joke, and why nearly all "skills" related complaints made by companies are BS, as is the notion of "brushing up your skills" to find a job. The skills requirements these days are almost company specific, and you can't gain them at home or by taking a class.
And here's the other issue... Even if you bought the latest and greatest CAD/CAM software to learn on and/or took a class, companies wouldn't consider that "real experience."
That's not to mention that some software costs $10,000 or more and classes, depending on who offers them, are not cheap.
In the IT world, it's akin to learning Cisco routers. Most people can't afford the nice ones, and can't afford the fiber or just can't plain out get fiber. Also, the Cisco classes/certs run $3000-4000 at the local community college.
There are some temp agencies that provide training right at their facilities and will even let you train for free so long as you let them help to look for a job for you. Looks better than saying "I learned this in my basement while eating hot pockets and drinking beer".
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations
Software development (particularly mobile) is a field where skills deteriorate and go stale fairly quickly. What languages and tools are in vogue changes rapidly, sometimes within months. People have to constantly stay abreast of whatever niche field there in and what the comings and goings on.
I am about as far from a tech geek as you can get, but isn't this an issue of aptitude? So if Person A is really good at JAVA, wouldn't he/she be able to pick-up XYZ language quickly? Furthermore, if languages change and are replaced constantly, then no one is really proficient at the beginning, no? Then, everyone has to learn it from the get go whether or not they are employed?
Unfortunately, in IT, the "in-thing" at most companies these days is simply either poaching employees from their competitors and/or scooping up recently laid off workers to avoid having to train new grads.
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