Computer Science graduates have the highest unemployment rate

[Scrag Meister]

I was bought up on Commodore 64's, Oric, Atari, Amiga.

Typing in programmes from Commodore Horizons magazine etc.

Spent ages coding when I was 14-18, Assembly on my 64, Basic on 64, Cobol on Apples IIe.

Was a hobby way before it was a career, been lucky to integrate both (well sometimes )

[northernladuk]

Computer Science degree and Tier 1 visa and you are sorted though.......

[Joeman]

Low level. Yawn. We're talking practical skills you know.

And thats the problem.. Computers are now like cars, most people dont have a clue how they work, but they are happy to drive them on a daily basis..

[doodab]

And thats the problem.. Computers are now like cars, most people dont have a clue how they work, but they are happy to drive them on a daily basis..

You would hope that the bloke fixing the brakes has some clue how they work though.

[Joeman]

You would hope that the bloke fixing the brakes has some clue how they work though.

but he doesnt really need to. Modern cars are designed to come apart with the minimum amount of tools in the minimum amount of time so that the dealers can employ monkeys to service them. The guy at the dealer replacing your brakes likely has no clue how the braking system works, and thats where we are with computers too... how many times have you called up Desktop supports, and some kid has just swapped out your machines for a new one. no attempt to fix the problem, just swap the box for a fresh one...

[Incognito]

When and where did you study?? i think its a recent problem that "the basics" have been dropped from courses because they are too challenging.. an no, its not based on one student, its based on a few that ive spoken to who just dont have a clue whats going on inside a PC. not that i care much though, as the fewer people who know the secrets, the better my day rate will be in a few years when the current set of undergrads are all fumbling about trying to do everything in HTML...

Why don't you just google and see what the current undergrad courses are offering.

School of Engineering and Computing Sciences (ECS) : - Durham University

School of Engineering and Computing Sciences (ECS) : Level 2 modules - Durham University

School of Engineering and Computing Sciences (ECS) : Level 3 modules - Durham University

Or did thy not teach you the basics of research and analysis on your course?

Durham seems to have the basics, bit of Java, C, web etc. Anything that doesn't measure upto your standards?

[Spacecadet]

Durham seems to have the basics, bit of Java, C, web etc.

Utterly pointless, how are they supposed to find employment with that tulip, I've never used any of those three in my 12 years of industry experience.

(For the hard of thinking, I'm being sarcastic but still making a valid point)

[Mich the Tester]

When I worked at Logicak and they decided that they could offshore all the development roles to Logicak-India I asked where the next generation of solution architects would come from. PM spreadsheet mgt thought you could take graduates, throw them on a course and then they'd be an architect. Whilst you can read up on "enterprise" architecture, you can't just walk into solution architecture. Same goes for graduate analysts, holding a meeting and taking notes isn't analysis, that's secetarial work, which I've pointed out to a few "analysts" in my time.

Like any job, there's no substitute for experience, class room based projects are all very well but its handling screaming PM's demanding deliverables yesterday, attempting to elicit requirements from stuck-up jobsworths and keeping your mouth shut despite knowing you're right and that everything is going to go tits-up that are the real world skills. No Uni course is going to deliver "IT project realisim 101".

You missed out 'communication with Bobs' in your list.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but how many of these grads are coming from tulipe universities such as sunderland metropolitan or exeter college for higher education (I made them up but you get the idea). The guys graduating from Oxbridge, Imperial, Manchester, UCL, Birmingham (and all the other red brick unis) won't be having a problem getting a job.

[doodab]

There is a difference between computer science and IT for business, in the same way there is a difference between physics and engineering.