BBC online story about Offshoring bad for IT pay in UK

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Any opinions on this story http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7419916.stm on the BBC's news website a few weeks ago titled 'Offshoring bad for IT pay in UK'? The article makes mention of how it affects entry-level jobs & pay. I'm currently studying the A+/N+ after being made redundant from a non IT office job.

 

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there are plenty of entry level IT jobs that require feet on the ground
offshoring can only really meet certain needs, not all of them!

I'd say that any offshoring has an effect on local markets, its a given, you send money overseas and its not money your spending at home, that said the high cost of eurozone workers often makes it a very good business decision

on the other hand, a lot of business are ending offshoring agreements, as they near the end of the contract terms we are seeing that it's artificially boosted Indian wages to unsupportable levels, and aggravated customers with lower customer service overall

I'd say the lowering of wages for entry level IT is more to do with the fact its becomming less and less of a high end skill, as generations of computer users from birth move into the work force, rudimentary IT skills and network skills are as common place as typing skills, that coupled with automated IT infrastructure and you really do lower the need for massive front end farms of support staff, the key is working out how to break in to the lucritive higher markets with such a bottleneck for jobs at the bottom

 

Dont let it discourage you, if you work hard, learn and show a positive attitude youll get the break thorugh

 

What are the lucrative higher markets that you are talking about? At one time it looked like programming, but now it seems everyone can do it.

 

the vertices are rather irrelevant
getting higher up the chain increases your ability to command more wages, as you move up there are less and less people capable of performing the task

for a network support guy, that could progress to network admin -> network design -> network consulting, as well as progressing from a fortune1000 to a top five fortune 100 ISP for instance

programming would be similar
junior developer -> ... -> ... -> enterprise architect

which area you specialise in is unimportant, and choosing one based on financial possibilities is a BIG mistake in itself
do what you love, love what you do, and you will progress rapidly, plenty of people in IT just here for a pay cheque, those that live for it go the furthest

 

Ab-so-lutely. Rep given, and highly deserved.

 

I pretty much agree with this. Do what you love. Get good at it because you love it. Then the money comes after time in the field.

It took me so long to get my first IT job I didn't think it would ever come. I completely stopped believing anyone would ever hire me, but I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, so-to-speak, and plodded on just because I was too stubborn to quit trying even though I thought it couldn't succeed. Every one around me told me to do something else, from my voc rehab counselors to my wife. But, I knew that I knew quite a bit already and had confidence in my skills, if not in the desire of anyone wanting to hire me. In the end I succeeded, but only because I kept on keeping on. I'm doing what I love, working with what I love, and that makes all that effort and time worthwhile.

Now I'm contacted several times a month by other companies looking to hire me, but I'm happy where I am. I'd make much more money elsewhere at the moment, but I very much doubt I could find a place as comfortable for me to work in, and with as much possible upside as this job has.

 

What area do you work in? It's not linux by any chance is it?

 

Nope. I administer Debian systems....

 

I read in the sun newspaper today that there's a big increase in pay for I.T workers because of the skills shortage here in the U.K. I also came across an article (recent one) on a website saying the same thing, and bugger me a can't find it as i didn't bookmark it.

But!....i have skills in web design and development, i am passionate and....probably.... to over enthusiastic. I have been searching for work for nearly a year now and all i bloody hear is that i " haven't got enough experience for the job"!!

ARRRRRRHHHHHH!!!!

That's bloody why there's a skill shortage!!!!! All these people who want to get into I.T because of the pay are worthless. Surely someone with the passion to learn ( self taught) and the ability to perform well should be given a chance. I have even asked companies for part time work...for FREE!!!!!!
What more do they want???

Okay....deep breath.......that's me all ranted out. I suppose freelance is on the cards then?

Cheers all, neil

 

Real-world experience. And... they're obviously getting candidates that have it, or they'd scoop you up.

You already have a portfolio of designed sites, right?

 

Web developers have one advantage over most techs
they can put there stuff up online and its all they need to prove they can do the job

I suggest getting a kick ass portfolio in play and using that, most web devs can easily work for themselves if they have the talent so I'm sure you will go far with the right attitude and passion!

 

I am not particularly bothered about pay as long as its liveable money. The main part of IT I love is the hardware side, if someone said to me I'll pay you 20k a year to build computers 5 days a week and test them I would snap their ***** hands off for it.

There doesn't seem to be any of that around though.

 

Not when your family relies on your financial support.. Every penny counts I guess..

I think the 20k a year to build computers is based on where you are. Probably the more central the more of them available.

 

Work 2 jobs, if that's what it takes to get your start in IT. It's just temporary; in time, the money will come.

 

That's what I used to do from when i was 16-20 before i went to uni.

Cant to it now easily on such a scale.

I also used to rent a shop facing a main car park for £60 a week

Andi

 

My dream job doesn't really exist anymore.

All i wanted to do since school was to be a IT administrator for a company of 10-20 people and do everything.

Now such a company would outsource it.... shame because they don't know what their missing

Andi

 

there are still THOUSANDS of companies that do it in house, with one lone wolf!

 

What i mean is you no longer get like a local waste disposal company with 10 employees have someone full-time like they used to. Or an estate agency with several small offices.

If they do it maybe a job that crosses over into another area.

AC