Well after nearly 4 months of futile Job search,
I'm thinking I may need to change my skillset.

(...my background is in network infrastructure design and implementation.
ie. low-level stuff like routers and switches, not application stuff like servers and web apps.
I also have 8 years as senior verification and QA engineer ).

However, every job I see seems to want web app designers (.Net, J2EE, etc.. ).

I "was" a programming whiz ...back in the 80's... writing 6502 assembler code on my C-64,
but I haven't keep very current with the latest programming advances...

If I were to re-train in something...  what would give me the best bang for the buck ?

I know quite a few people working from home doing application work,
so that could be an interesting option.

I'm sure the crowd on MAACA offers an interesting cross-section of the high-tech industry.

Any thoughts from the masses...

LMK,
Thanks,
Steph

I vote for you to learn Ai and Ps, and create artwork for CPR.  

D

Quoted from Menace

I vote for you to learn Ai and Ps, and create artwork for CPR.  

D

Probably very rewarding .....hobbywise,  

but I don't think it would pay the mortgage and feed 3 growing boys...  


Steph

I know the feeling.
Lost my job about a month ago.
Thinking of taking EI offer for retraining.
But Trying to figure out what I should do Electrician or Welder maybe Plumbing.
I am fed up with IT

Why not go crazy and just abandon High-Tech? It's a bit hypocritical of me to say, since I have a high-tech job, but if the industry isn't what it used to be, and your skillset no longer meets the demand, then consider EVERYTHING, not just high-tech.

If you weren't a computer engineer, what would you be?

I'd saw follow the government spending and the demographics and what universities are expanding into.

My quick thoughts are:
health - ehealth & electronic health records.   My resume's there, but they are too busy awarding contracts without going to tender to bother calling me  
energy - ?
environment - ?

Steph, get a job and make a position for me, too!   (I'm still @ Nortel, but I kiss each paycheque!)

Within the telcom field - follow the spectrum auctions and the big spenders - globalive/yak is hiring - and I believe had positions in Ottawa last month.  

Quoted from ethous

I know the feeling.
Lost my job about a month ago.
Thinking of taking EI offer for retraining.
But Trying to figure out what I should do Electrician or Welder maybe Plumbing.
I am fed up with IT

What? You mean the huge joke the government calls the "Second Career" program?

Sure, if you can pay your tuition and related costs, AND live off $28k over the ENTIRE duration of your program then go for it.
I wasted months with an idiot career counsellor only to learn "No, that's not $28k per year, it's $28k PERIOD". I can't find a program worth taking that is 1 year or less.

Me.........I just applied to the Military, where they'll give me a real job AND pay me while I'm learning.

Edit: And I didn't bother with OSAP, apparently I made too much money........TWO YEARS AGO! (Wow, I still have that money? Where?)

Quoted from jonny_eh

If you weren't a computer engineer, what would you be?

Sadly, its hard to make a drastic career change right when you have a lot of dependants and financial committments.   Nortel used to give severances which allowed people to re-focus a few friends have opened up their own business in first-aid, fitness using the severance to get them through.   There's also the famous Nortel guy who used his severance to make the #1 sex-toy (he's now a millionaire).    Without a cushion, and the bills keep coming, you can't exactly make a business plan to "do what you want".

I'm still jealous of my buddy who couldn't get a job out of university, so got his mechanical-masters, then his teaching degree, then started work in high-tech.   So, he can work in mechanical, high-tech or teach.

After visiting my mechanic today, I seriously wonder if I am in the right position. He has hands in so many pots that he makes money hand over fist: autobody, car repair and car sales. He makes great money on the car sales. Told me a story of how he sold a car he bought for next to nothing, restored it (obviously he the skills and staff to do it right) and sold it for $70K! Then talked about his summer homes -- one in Florida and one in Portegul -- I don't even have a shed in my backyard .

Seriously, the trades offer amazing opportunities. Of course, they are very dependent on the economy.

My brother in law lost his job last summer and started working as a handy man immediately. He got a decent severance and business has been brisk from day 1. He is very handy -- basically it was his hobby. He was very fortunate and turned his hobby into his career. Seems to be working for him.

As for programming and web work. Not sure this is the right industry to get in right now. Sorry to be a downer, but I'm in the industry and I cann't say "This is the technology you should focus on".  Competition is tough and everyone has lowered their rates to get work.

Perhaps like someone else mentioned focus on the Health industry? Aging population means that sector will be doing well over the coming years.

Duane

Quoted from jonny_eh

Why not go crazy and just abandon High-Tech?

Because the decent money (for white collar work) is in high-tech.

I have 20 years of experience and starting over would put me at the bottom of the pile.

Besides, like Tuborg said, I'm 43 with 3 young kids and a mortgage,
so I can't really afford a long re-training period.

I've got a 6 month window ... tops !

I unfortunately can't start an entire new career in 6 months...
I need to leverage what I have, so that pretty much forces me to stay in high-tech.

The only other option, is a COMPLETELY different approach
such as starting some kind of business ... but then again, this isn't the best time.

I've tried to expand my little eprom business,
but the reality is that I'm pushing 25+ yr old technology to a shrinking market
so there is not much growth there.  At best, if I tried REALLY hard,
I could probably pull-in $10-15K per year , ...which leaves me about $60K short of where I need to be...

Steph

Fair point, I guess I was looking at it from my perspective as a young dude with no dependants.

My uncle got laid off from Newbridge back in the day, and he too had 25+ years experience, but instead of looking for a job (he may have tried, but didn't succeed) he started a R&D tax credit consultation business and he's doing just fine now.

someone open a big arcade?

and let the kiddies trade their tickets in for pills, you'll make a killing?