So I get my degree in computer engineering. I had hoped to go into embedded systems development of one sort or another. Prior to graduating, I did the career fair bit, talked with reps of the company I was most interested in working for, pass on the résumé. I get a call... about a design DBA position. Right.
Well, they hired me. Not because I knew Sybase (which I most certainly did not -- I'd never even touched logical database design in college!), but on the basis that I (theoretically) could pick up something new in a short amount of time. I wasn't going the pass up the opportunity. Besides, programming (even microcontrollers) could get old, at least for me. Heh.
Three years later, I'm a Sr. DBA handling both Sybase and Oracle, working to introduce the higher-ups to MySQL. It's been a weird, wild ride, but well worth it. The pay's certainly working out for me!
I missed this the last time it may have been mentioned on Slashdot, not being enlightened enough to visit the site back then, but I've long since mended my ways - and was pleasantly surprised to see this story. It actually granted me closure. *grin*
In 1991 or thereabouts, I participated in the Summer Institute for Creative Engineering and Inventiveness (SICEI, appropriately enough) held at the University of Iowa - a program in which high school students were given the chance to "delve into" certain types of research. I was part of the environment-oriented team, which focused on the use of poplar trees to remove pollutants - led by Lou Licht. We spent plenty of time both in the classroom and out in the Iowa country, learning about Lou's ideas and approaches. These and other activities would be my first exposure to engineering problem solving, drawing upon the book Consider a Spherical Cow. My experiences led me to pursue engineering as a major and a profession. (Now I'm a DBA, but that's beside the point.)
Today, seeing this article, I think about how Lou Licht - a vibrant individual whose enthusiasm rubbed off on at least one impressionable high schooler! - and his poplars are partially responsible for my reading Slashdot in the first place. Funny how things come around like that, I suppose, rolling around like bovine globes. Well, in the future, I'll be ready for when Lou, Slashdot, and I cross paths again. (And maybe I'll have a profound ecological thought, too!)
Kudos, Lou!
The Former Priestess of the Spherical Cow Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.
Well, while we're on the subject of IT salaries, I was wondering what kind of scale DBAs - either in development or production support - are finding themselves on. I've heard that 45k USD is below-average (this is in Colorado Springs, CO).
Any comments would be well-appreciated!
M. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang
Slashdot Mirror
So I get my degree in computer engineering. I had hoped to go into embedded systems development of one sort or another. Prior to graduating, I did the career fair bit, talked with reps of the company I was most interested in working for, pass on the résumé. I get a call... about a design DBA position. Right.
Well, they hired me. Not because I knew Sybase (which I most certainly did not -- I'd never even touched logical database design in college!), but on the basis that I (theoretically) could pick up something new in a short amount of time. I wasn't going the pass up the opportunity. Besides, programming (even microcontrollers) could get old, at least for me. Heh.
Three years later, I'm a Sr. DBA handling both Sybase and Oracle, working to introduce the higher-ups to MySQL. It's been a weird, wild ride, but well worth it. The pay's certainly working out for me!
I missed this the last time it may have been mentioned on Slashdot, not being enlightened enough to visit the site back then, but I've long since mended my ways - and was pleasantly surprised to see this story. It actually granted me closure. *grin*
In 1991 or thereabouts, I participated in the Summer Institute for Creative Engineering and Inventiveness (SICEI, appropriately enough) held at the University of Iowa - a program in which high school students were given the chance to "delve into" certain types of research. I was part of the environment-oriented team, which focused on the use of poplar trees to remove pollutants - led by Lou Licht. We spent plenty of time both in the classroom and out in the Iowa country, learning about Lou's ideas and approaches. These and other activities would be my first exposure to engineering problem solving, drawing upon the book Consider a Spherical Cow. My experiences led me to pursue engineering as a major and a profession. (Now I'm a DBA, but that's beside the point.)
Today, seeing this article, I think about how Lou Licht - a vibrant individual whose enthusiasm rubbed off on at least one impressionable high schooler! - and his poplars are partially responsible for my reading Slashdot in the first place. Funny how things come around like that, I suppose, rolling around like bovine globes. Well, in the future, I'll be ready for when Lou, Slashdot, and I cross paths again. (And maybe I'll have a profound ecological thought, too!)
Kudos, Lou!
The Former Priestess of the Spherical Cow
Use what talent you possess:
the woods would be very silent if no birds sang
except those that sang best.
Well, while we're on the subject of IT salaries, I was wondering what kind of scale DBAs - either in development or production support - are finding themselves on. I've heard that 45k USD is below-average (this is in Colorado Springs, CO).
Any comments would be well-appreciated!
M.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Use what talent you possess:
the woods would be very silent if no birds sang