Most IT Workers Don't Have STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math) Degrees 655
McGruber writes "The Wall Street Journal's Michael Totty shares some stereotype-shattering statistics about IT workers: Most of them don't have college degrees in computer science, technology, engineering or math. About a third come to IT with degrees in business, social sciences or other nontechnical fields, while more than 40% of computer support specialists and a third of computer systems administrators don't have a college degree at all! The analysis is based upon two job categories as defined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics: network and computer systems administrator, and computer support specialist."
I wonder how many of them (Score:5, Funny)
know what "IT" stands for?
Re:As someone who runs an IT company (Score:4, Funny)
Oh, you mean you prefer employees able to read your mind over those that ask you to clearly verbalize your expectations?
Spoken like a true college grad. :)
Re:Personally (Score:3, Funny)
I'm surprised by this. I was required to take an english course in college when getting my tech diploma. It's focus was on technical writing.
Also, have you mentioned to the engineer in question that it's "specification" and not "speckification"?
Re:STEM education is great but it's not everything (Score:5, Funny)
Well, if there was an "Edit" button we couldn't pick on you for a typo.
Re:As someone who runs an IT company (Score:2, Funny)
Not at all. My expectations are usually along these lines:
"Hey, Person J says her computer keeps locking up. Can you go figure out what's going on?"
Good IT:
"Sure." "Turns out she had installed a toolbar that kept popping up a hidden prompt for her to click on. It's all cleaned up now, and she is good to go."
Bad IT:
"Sure." "The screen seems frozen. What do I do?" "Ok, I hit alt+tab, and there seems to be a prompt. What do I do?" etc.
Re:"Computer Support Specialist" (Score:4, Funny)
"Have you tried turning it off and back on again?
Re:As someone who runs an IT company (Score:4, Funny)
Not at all. My expectations are usually along these lines:
"Hey, Person J says her computer keeps locking up. Can you go figure out what's going on?"
Good IT:
"Sure." "Turns out she had installed a toolbar that kept popping up a hidden prompt for her to click on. It's all cleaned up now, and she is good to go."
Bad IT:
"Sure." "The screen seems frozen. What do I do?" "Ok, I hit alt+tab, and there seems to be a prompt. What do I do?" etc.
Real IT Person: "That's against company policy to unfreeze this computer"
Re:Personally (Score:2, Funny)
Its focus, as the it was the focus of the English course.
Gotta be extra careful when writing about writing well.
Re:Personally (Score:5, Funny)
It's focus was on technical writing.
You don't say? :)
There's a good reason for that (Score:0, Funny)
IT does not involve Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math.
Re:STEM education is great but it's not everything (Score:5, Funny)
Sigh... Tell me again why /. doesn't have an "Edit" button?
Because computers are hard and most developers don't have a degree.
Re:As someone who runs an IT company (Score:5, Funny)
Not at all. My expectations are usually along these lines:
"Hey, Person J says her computer keeps locking up. Can you go figure out what's going on?"
Good IT:
"Sure." "Turns out she had installed a toolbar that kept popping up a hidden prompt for her to click on. It's all cleaned up now, and she is good to go."
Bad IT:
"Sure." "The screen seems frozen. What do I do?" "Ok, I hit alt+tab, and there seems to be a prompt. What do I do?" etc.
Real IT Person: "That's against company policy to unfreeze this computer"
Real IT Person: "Did you try turning it off and back on again?"
Re:Personally (Score:5, Funny)
Its one of those ridiculous English quirks, that I have to say in my head occasionally to ensure I've got it correct. See Wikipedia [wikipedia.org].
You should do that more often :)
Re:Personally (Score:5, Funny)