del

First of all, apologies to the majority of you not involved in IT - you may as well just skip this post now

For those of you who are still reading, what advice would you give me on the following.

I'm a Sybase DBA working in London. We have our PR, but circumstances dictate that we won't be moving over until the summer of 2007.

As far as I can tell, and the major IT agencies in Perth back up this view, Sybase jobs are virtually non-existent in Perth. The two most common RDBMS's are Oracle and SQL Server. This means I need to cross-train into one of these over the next 3 years. My current employer has this morning told me that they want me to standardise/upgrade the SQL Server installations in London, which is good news as it gives me a foot-in when I come over. However, Oracle is apparently by far the database of choice in Perth, and I'm wondering whether I should concentrate my efforts in this area rather than SQL Server.

Now I realise 3 years is a long time in the wonderful world of IT, but can anyone at the "coal face" give their opinions as to which option they think I should take - Oracle or SQL Server - simply from an employability point of view.

Don't worry - I won't hold you to it

Thanks
Del

stephenwhite68

I agree do the oracle but also while you are working on the SQL through work get some good grounding and then you can say you can do both ???

Then its just up to you when you get here to decide which one is best for you ...

If its SQL at least you have some understanding and it will not take you as long to get into it as if you had none

Deffo Oracle ....

PS:
Imk even comtemplating getting out of IT when i get to perth as i can't seem to find anything to my liking
im a C++ developer ....

NedKelly63

Have a look at the national and State Skills Shortage 2004 PDF on http://www.workplace.gov.au/Workplac...53D533,00.html

No demand for SQL Server in WA, there is for oracle though!

stephenwhite68

Bad link Ned ???

del

Steve,

Thanks for the reply - unfortunately Oracle is the one that I have no experience in whatsoever, and also the one that would be hardest to gain experience in. Sod and his law strike again.

I too had the same notion that I would get out of IT when we go over - it's hardly an exciting life, is it? But the 64 million dollar question is - what to do which will enable you to earn enough to keep to the standard of living that IT pays for over here?

If I knew that, I'd be a happy man.

NedKelly63

Originally posted by stephenwhite68
    > Bad link Ned ???


try...


http://www.workplace.gov.au/Workplace/WPDispla-
y/0,1280,a3%253D6438%2526a0%253D0%2526a1%253D517%252 6a2%253D533,00.html-
Skill Shortages


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

NedKelly63

Sorry...

NedKelly63

You can download a developer edition for nothing from the oracle website. Then grab yourself a book...

stephenwhite68

I thought like that too, but after doing some research i have found that i could get a different job and live quite well (chilled out and enjoying the sun etc...)
or i could plonk myself in the Aussie ratrace for not much more money and stay stressed) it seems that whatever you do over there the pay is not that much difference (obviously not talking about Maccy d's) but for us its the quality of life that im going for and you can find that by just taking a step to the side !!

The way ive approached it is by saying to myself "what do i like to do" ???
although i love IT (puters etc ....) i could fancy a change ...

stephenwhite68

try this
http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/index.html

then as Ned says get the developer suite and use a book ....

I might even have a look into it myself ???

SentApril2002

I would seriously suggest not going to Perth, as IT jobs here are scarce, if available at all. But if you are set on coming here, I would say Oracle.

del

Very similar to my thoughts - who wants to live half way around the world only to be stuck in an office 9 til 5. I can do that here.

The trick is to find something you like doing AND earn a semi-decent crust. From my trips over to Oz I've come to the conclusion that, if anything, I'd need to earn more over there to have the same standard of living over here (again, referring to prices of things like McD's, which my kids can eat until the cows come home).

I'd love to be something like a greenkeeper - outdoors lifestyle, fresh air, not sitting on my behind all day, but you're looking at about $40K a year for something like that. That's not enough to pay a mortgage, feed 3 kids, and drink beer to Aussie standards

del

Got the course books from Oracle University a couple of months back. But as we all know, it's pretty pointless teaching yourself something if you're not using it on a daily basis - it simply doesn't stick (not with me anyway, but I've never been the sharpest tool in the box)

Plus all agents that I've had contact with say that experience holds much more sway over courses/qualifiactions.

NedKelly63

Simply enhance your CV. I'm assuming you already know a good bit about Sybase, so the leap technically shouldnt be of an issue.

del

Point taken, but it has to be Perth as my wife lived over there for 8 years, and we have a network of friends and family, so there really is no other option.

Trust me to get invloved in the "wrong" database system all those years ago