Re: Growing your own programmers

I can't resist this one as I started out changing light bulbs and moved
from data entry, watchful operator, and operations manager to full blown
RPG programmer and project leader -- all with informal in-house
encouragement and support for my training and IBM classes.  Now, a mere 25
years later, I still find myself in need of more education and training to
keep up with the young whippersnappers that seem to have some kinda innate
knowledge of how computers work.  Sigh.

Jerry

At 12:24 PM 6/18/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Mark,
>
>Allow me to add my 2 bits here, I have read this thread and in spite of
>Deans rather gloomy message, I would point out that most (programmers) were
>non technical before becoming programmers; I do agree that the devil is in
>the details though. If your intended candidates exhibit an affinity for
>details and like puzzles, chances are good that they can think abstractly
>(out of the box in current vernacular). From my perspective  there is
>enough discipline involved for programming to be considered a science as
>well as being an art, so go for it, but get someone in as an anchor,
>someone with extensive experience that can help the folks in the
>transition.
>
>Allen, Mark wrote:
>
>> Would appreciate any input from companies and/or individuals who have
>> taken "non-programmers" and through in house training/external training
>> converted them to AS/400 RPG programmers.  I am considering starting a
>> program here to do that and would like all the "experts" out there who
>> may have done something similar to share their experiences.
>>
>> Mark Allen
>> MIS Manager
>> Mattel-Murray
>> allenma1@mattel.com


Jerry Draper, Trilobyte Software Systems, since 1976
Specializing in connecting PC's, Windows, MAC's, and LAN's to the AS/400
Representing Synapse, Apple, IBM, UDS, Nlynx, MI, DCI, Netsoft, etc.
(415) 457-3431; (415) 258-1658fax; jdraper@wco.com
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