On Tue, 7 Aug 2012 11:18:01 -0400, "J. Clarke" wrote:

In article ,
says...

Jim Yanik wrote:


WHAT does a school HAVE to power,that would justify the cost of a
backup generator and fuel supply?
maybe the food in the kitchen's freezer/refrigerator? doubtful.


The computers. Today's lesson plans DEPEND on student computer activity.

One student asked me (probably a teacher-fed question): "What kind of jobs
are available in the computer field"?

I blinked twice and responded:

"Jobs? You've got computers on your desk. You'll probably get a grade on my
presentation. Heck, you can't even be a little kid in elementary school
without the use of computers. By the time you graduate, there'll be buttons
on shovel handles! Jobs? Instead talk about just being able to LIVE."

But he has a point. Classes to teach kids how to work computers are
kind of like classes in the '60s to teach kids how to work televisions.
The kid probably knows more than the teacher.

And beyond that level how many jobs are there, really?

A quick search[*] of the BLS site shows 320K "computer programmers" and about
half that number of "electrical engineers". However, someone being able to
push Excel (etc.) around is a big plus in the job market.

[*] meaning that I don't necessarily believe these numbers - they seem low,
particularly the programmers.