Training - A Company or a Worker's Responsibility?

r0wan asks: "I'm currently working as a Microsoft Systems Administrator. Through a series of bungled management decisions, have found myself responsible for a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory network, that I know nothing about (the person who was sent for training was: not the Microsoft point person, as I was; and left the company, soon after the domain upgrade). It doesn't look as though training will be forthcoming, and I've just been moved from the lab, where I was training myself while simultaneously handling the domain. I've got the MCSA/MCSE Training Kit, but recently I've found numerous errors, so many that I was sent a free Press Kit book, for submitting all of the errors I had found. Between management's reluctance to shell out for training, and being moved from the lab, I'm getting the distinct sense that training is something I'm expected to take care of, on my own time. Is this the de-facto standard within IT, and for all jobs within IT? If so, how do you Slashdot readers keep up with your continuing education, while still maintaining a personal life? Is it naive to try to leave my work at work?" "I'm especially interested in hearing from the Slashdot readers of the female persuasion, as I have a husband, a dog, and a household to keep up with (no kids by choice, but I wouldn't have the time to take care of them, even if I wanted to). I also have the added responsibility of being the primary breadwinner. My free time is valuable in that it allows me to take care of that which I can't during the day (grocery shopping, dog responsibilities, cleaning, etc), and decompress/de-stress in order to prepare for the next day's work. I like tinkering with computers and learning new stuff, but I fear that if I'm expected train myself, outside of work, I may need to consider a different career.

Thanks in advance for the input."

Comments

Winge winge winge

[Bonobo_Unknown]

Stop being a such a cry baby. Take it on, live a little outside your comfort zone. Make it work for you...

... and go and see "Fight Club". :P

Elections count

[RalphSlate]

George Bush is president. Training is the employee's responsibility. Get with the program.

Re:Oddly enough...

[Flyboy Connor]

I think what we need to see in America isn't Communism , it's Socialism

As someone who lives and works in a Socialist country (The Netherlands) I can tell you that Socialism is in some aspects even worse than Capitalism. The problem with Socialism is that the government needs lots of money to spread around to those who are not willing or able to work. That basically means that many people feel that they are better off NOT working than spending their valuable time at a workplace. The consequence is that those who DO work have to work VERY hard to make up for all those who do NOT work, and that the taxes on wages are excessively high too. For the work I do the salaries in the US are three to four times as high, and I have a 60 hours work week to boot. Anyway, it seems to me that a mixture of Capitalism and Socialism could be the solution: if you take the best bits of both systems.

Re:Oddly enough...

[rtb61]

The rich are only as rich as the poor are poor. It is about the ego of the individuals driving the system. For me to be richer than you does not mean I need to have more it really means you need to have less (and that is the reality of what is currently occuring).

Honestly who really wants to be a menial servant, in reality it should be one of the higher paying jobs because it is one of the most undesirable jobs. The reality is of course different because the system is manipulated to ensure sufficient economic hardship to ensure servants for the rich (no conspiracy just the sheer unadultered greed and lusts of individuals expressed over and over again). Free health care and effective social services really does wipe out the availability of servants (the sheer bloated self serving nature of the rich and greedy will ensure that only happens in the US after an extended period of socio economic disruption).