UTECH still wants Trelawny

[Don1]

All the other stuff like Business and Sosci can be done at UWI. Ideally U tech should be our equivalent of the St. Augustine Engineeering Faculty, just like how TnT set up their own Medical school.

There are fluff programs at Utech ( by that I mean bad copies of what is availabe at Mona)....check it out for yourself.

I guess there is fat everywhere but very little at UTECH imho.

It's a bare bones, practical model with emphasis on producing graduates in ready to work state.

Where UTECH has programs in non tech fields like hospitality or business...its graduates fill a void that would otherwise be much worse if it did not exist....should these be just dropped unilaterally to focus on tech solely? That's a big ask.

What is needed is a top to bottom review and reorientation of the tertiary system....which would determine the optimal mix of programs and institutions Jamaica needs to go to the next level...and a plan to execute that mission.

In an environment like that an engineering specific UTECH would make sense to me...not just some unilateral action by UTECH to drop programs.

[Don1]

Do you realize that all these schools you have listed, one can study business management, social sciences and other areas of study too? I would like you to show me the institution which focuses only on technology and ignore the other areas of study? Imperial College prides itself on its MBA program just as MIT's Sloan School of Management does. Do not think that it is only engineering you can do at MIT or CALTech.

You have to realize that having a technology driven program alone is not a guarantee for success for any university or society. Many of the very technically inclined folks need to have either have management skills or have people with the management skills to help realize the bigger picture. You should realize, it takes other areas of specialization to make the entire industry work.

Anyway Willi, I know I am preaching to the choir, so I will stop here.

good talk...perfect

[Don1]

So how is it a tangent then? I tell you bwoy. Mi neva know you could get a bachelors in sociology and business Admin. at MIT and CALTECH. Well mi name di eternal learner (Mo please leave mi name alone).

Mr Tangent

[Willi]

OK, whenyou gonna start this review? LoL

[Mosiah]

arite Mr. Eternal Learner!

[Don1]

OK, whenyou gonna start this review? LoL

dat start areddy...dis ah jus some trial balloon mi ah float fi gauge certain reaction

[Jawge]

Okay Don and Tilla: I'm going to let you guys know that I'm speaking from personal experience. I was administrator at this job not only for the computers but for the VOIP system (yes there is a backup pstn). A site in queens requested that the phone rings only for one receptionist instead of two Oh, or where one recpetionist would be able to pickup the next line. I could easily assign extensions but that's not what they wanted. When I called tech support (which I rarely do) I was given to these guys who were very courteous but had an accent. After calling so many times (you know me) I became friendly enough to ask where were they located.

Now Don and Tilla tell me why would I call tech support just to add or delete a user? Why would I call Tech suppport to know about call forwarding on the phone and other basic features? You guys don't know this but India is out (ask the people in IT business).

If Ja sets up support where they have certain people study a particular software to the point of expertise (as the case of CR); it would be easy for thse techs to fly in, if remote assistance fails (this is where India is vulnerable). You guys speak but don't go in the trenches.
CR may not be actually deveoping the technology today but they have a foot in the door (they have the US corp. down there) Tomorrow when their Universities do some intense research they will be in a position to say "Hey we have the expertise, why don't you develop it here". Funny thing is that CR is big into tourism too. What a lala when dem start to go agressively after the tourism niche. Unnuh nuh see nutten yet.

You know what's the matter with you guys? You have the colonial mentality. Technology and engineering seem too big for the regualr populace of Ja, maybe if I had said it should be restricted to an elite high school in JA, you guys would be more receptive. Ask yourselves this: why is it easy for me to accept my people doing jobs in hotel but working for Intel or Motorla seems far fetched? Good thing the Germans, or the japanese don't have you guys mentality.

I'm not saying run away and leave tourism but we can't just rely on it anymore (especially since we watered down our brand with all inclusives). We must venture into other niches because of the new age. Right now all I see execs negotiating for Ja is some sugar, banana deals or the building of more hotels.

To answer your question Tilla: If a student leaves High school or finishes CAST other than some PR job (seeing that the owners will bring their own for admin jobs) what is really there to do? Granted this is a huge complex that can hold 400 people with little to offer our educated sector. Tilla not everyone aspires to be tour guides, etc. In order for Cast and UWI to worth their salt, its graduates must be aborbed in a real applicable industry. NOw I know ONE technolgy corp. would be able to hire more CAST graduates than THREE five hundred room hotels. Think hard about this (throw in High school grads too).

[Don1]

Jawge;199098]Okay Don and Tilla: I'm going to let you guys know that I'm speaking from personal experience. I was administrator at this job not only for the computers but for the VOIP system (yes there is a backup pstn). A site in queens requested that the phone rings only for one receptionist instead of two Oh, or where one recpetionist would be able to pickup the next line. I could easily assign extensions but that's not what they wanted. When I called tech support (which I rarely do) I was given to these guys who were very courteous but had an accent. After calling so many times (you know me) I became friendly enough to ask where were they located.

That tech support position is not at a great level...meaning it does not have much value added.

However as I said Jamaica needs jobs at ALL levels..low, medium & high.

Now Don and Tilla tell me why would I call tech support just to add or delete a user? Why would I call Tech suppport to know about call forwarding on the phone and other basic features? You guys don't know this but India is out (ask the people in IT business).

Ridiculous...India is not out...they have expanded up the value chain to the point where Indian IT firms like Infosys are listed on western exchanges and setting up offices in the US & Europe...and such firms compete with giants like SAP, IBM, Computer Associates etc for consulting & development jobs.

If Ja sets up support where they have certain people study a particular software to the point of expertise (as the case of CR); it would be easy for thse techs to fly in, if remote assistance fails (this is where India is vulnerable). You guys speak but don't go in the trenches.
CR may not be actually deveoping the technology today but they have a foot in the door (they have the US corp. down there) Tomorrow when their Universities do some intense research they will be in a position to say "Hey we have the expertise, why don't you develop it here". Funny thing is that CR is big into tourism too. What a lala when dem start to go agressively after the tourism niche. Unnuh nuh see nutten yet.

You mix sense with your usual tangential confusion here. You need to exit the trenches sometime...come up for fresh air and daylight.

You know what's the matter with you guys? You have the colonial mentality. Technology and engineering seem too big for the regualr populace of Ja, maybe if I had said it should be restricted to an elite high school in JA, you guys would be more receptive. Ask yourselves this: why is it easy for me to accept my people doing jobs in hotel but working for Intel or Motorla seems far fetched? Good thing the Germans, or the japanese don't have you guys mentality.

Garbage. I am NOT and have NEVER said anything remotely related to what you claim.

Get yourself together.

I'm not saying run away and leave tourism but we can't just rely on it anymore (especially since we watered down our brand with all inclusives). We must venture into other niches because of the new age. Right now all I see execs negotiating for Ja is some sugar, banana deals or the building of more hotels.

Thankfully you have not fully departed from good sense...good points here.

To answer your question Tilla: If a student leaves High school or finishes CAST other than some PR job (seeing that the owners will bring their own for admin jobs) what is really there to do? Granted this is a huge complex that can hold 400 people with little to offer our educated sector. Tilla not everyone aspires to be tour guides, etc. In order for Cast and UWI to worth their salt, its graduates must be aborbed in a real applicable industry. NOw I know ONE technolgy corp. would be able to hire more CAST graduates than THREE five hundred room hotels. Think hard about this (throw in High school grads too).

[/QUOTE]

I can't speak for Tilla...but I did not see where he or anyone else here wants to limit Jamaica to tourism.



A mixed bag overall...but I admire your passion for IT.

You just need to be a wee bit more balanced in your prognostications.