General Chit chat / Randomness

Webmonkey

megcork wrote: »

Arghh trying to decide whether to do 1 year or 6months work placement for college

Ye get a choice? - What's the down side if you go for the year?

Webmonkey

save_our_socks wrote: »

la la la la la.....so whos confirmed for Friday night? Just wanna make sure its happening as Ill probably get a text from work tomorrow at some stage being asked to work, so need to know whether I should turn the shift down or go make some money?!?!

Well I'll go but it looking like not many showing up? Not sure really...

deRanged

Webmonkey wrote: »

Kingtut, if it's triple it's a no brainer. Go for it - I doubt you will regret the decision.

I have to agree with that. just make sure the company looks like it'll survive
the recession paying those high salaries.

sleepyescapade

Webmonkey wrote: »

Ye get a choice? - What's the down side if you go for the year?

The only downside is not being with my class, who are wonderful! The year pro's are clearly winning, but I am a baby and scared of moving away on my own :P

deRanged

do you know what sort of experience you'd be getting?
I mean, is it decent work, or would you be making tea and photocopying for a year. If it's good work, then I'd go for the year.

sleepyescapade

deRanged wrote: »

do you know what sort of experience you'd be getting?
I mean, is it decent work, or would you be making tea and photocopying for a year. If it's good work, then I'd go for the year.

It's Computer Science

deRanged

megcork wrote: »

It's Computer Science

right. the year I did the placement, I got great experience and had a fantastic time. I would definitely have liked the 1 year placement.

I'd say go with the 1 year. work placement is fantastic - all the fun, none of the responsibilities.

sleepyescapade

deRanged wrote: »

right. the year I did the placement, I got great experience and had a fantastic time. I would definitely have liked the 1 year placement.

I'd say go with the 1 year. work placement is fantastic - all the fun, none of the responsibilities.

Yeah it's looking like the year alright Eeek!

Webmonkey

That's cool that you get a choice. Work placement is worth a lot more than a semester in college if you are actually doing proper work on placement. Some people end up doing nothing.

Go for it if you will get good experience. Good for the CV

sleepyescapade

Webmonkey wrote: »

That's cool that you get a choice. Work placement is worth a lot more than a semester in college if you are actually doing proper work on placement. Some people end up doing nothing.

Go for it if you will get good experience. Good for the CV

Yeah it's paid alright. I'd be happy with either Intel or MS.

Webmonkey

megcork wrote: »

Yeah it's paid alright. I'd be happy with either Intel or MS.

Well I'd say anyone would be happy with them two

Intel is great spot to work, believe MS would be similar.

deRanged

when I lived in Dublin on placement, the flat downstairs was full of nordie lads on placement in microsoft. they had a great life - left for work later than me, got home earlier, did less, earned more. they loved it

man the sessions. /nostalgic.

Illkillya

Webmonkey wrote: »

Intel is great spot to work

ARGH (the chants of "great place to work" still echo in my broken mind)

Webmonkey may be thinking of Intel Shannon, a different species entirely from Leixlip where they have a documented 12 step process for destroying your soul.

Meg, I was in your shoes a few years ago, deciding on the comp science work placement. I opted for the 1 year placement, mainly so that I get the opportunity to get experience at one of the big companies. It was the biggest waste of a year ever - the learning curve as a co-op plateaus after a couple of months, which leaves you in a miserable cubicle either really busy on **** pay, or trying to avoid work and "cover your ass", passing the buck like everyone else in the organisation, so that you can free up some time to advance to the next level on your webgame.

If I had done the 6 month placement, I would have been back in college that October, I would have finished my degree a year earlier, and I would have a masters or an extra year of "real" work experience (many employees don't even consider co-op work placement as real experience) earning far more.

True, the co-op placement in Intel/MS in some ways is like a big summer camp with all the social activity and such little responsibility, but I would never go to a summer camp for a full year - a few months will do me. My advice, do the 6 month, get qualified as soon as possible, and with the year you save, extend your qualification (e.g., to Masters) or get some solid, well paid experience (or travel the world if you can afford it).

The only thing I learned at Intel is that I would never in my life want to work at a company like that... and this is something that I could easily have learned within 6 months. [On the other hand, I have heard from some friends that MS is really cool to work, pay more, etc., so maybe it would suit you).


[Edit]Just remembered that we are in a recession, so if there is a shortage of jobs for Comp Sci graduates at the moment, maybe it's not a terrible idea to drag out your degree by doing a year placement, but I would still advice against it (think of the soul!!!)[/Edit]

Webmonkey

Yeah, great place to work for the student but not a real employee!

There were a lot of politics in intel shannon as well. Goal setting, peer review (yes! backstab your work mates by reviewing their performance every 1/4), weekly team meetings etc.
For the co op it is good, but for the real worker, I'd imagine it can be pressureful some times.

Things like having to wear your badge all times and having it visible etc were a bit annoying.

I was lucky to be in a team where I got a lot of responsiblity for projects on my own but most other students were doing nothing. I'd prefer to have something to do than twiggling my fingers and youtubing all day.

Like you Illkillya, I would not like be there for years as my main job. Good for the co op/student as there are lots of others and it very socialable.

Oh yeah Pay could have been better.

MidnightQueen

miss_shadow wrote: »

..Sure

Saturday night?

save_our_socks

Yawn* Work was particulary boring tonight, in again at 10am tomorrow, just me and the manager.....oh joy! Hows everyones Thursday night going?

turgon

I donated blood platelets!

Webmonkey

Its going good. Playing columns on the sega mega drive.

miss_shadow

I watched the proposal. Its quite funny!

save_our_socks

Just watching Jem and the Hollograms.....love reliving my childhood memories.

Sega Mega Drive?!?! Do you have Sonic and Knuckles? If so Im coming over! Although nothing beats the amiga....james pond robocod and pushover all the way!!

CommieBaz

Webmonkey wrote: »

Its going good. Playing columns on the sega mega drive.

Good to see that old school gaming ain't dead yet!

towel401

KittyKat wrote: »

Boards beers in Clonmel anyone??

can i stay at your gaff?

towel401

CommieBaz wrote: »

Good to see that old school gaming ain't dead yet!

oldschool gaming is the best kind of gaming

mang i used to spend hours at that ****ing game

CommieBaz

towel401 wrote: »

oldschool gaming is the best kind of gaming

mang i used to spend hours at that ****ing game

Those were simpler times....when games didn't need multi-billion dollar storylines!

towel401

CommieBaz wrote: »

Those were simpler times....when games didn't need multi-billion dollar storylines!

meh. hardcore gaming is dead too..

it's all simple iPhone games and touchey feeley nintendo wee games now and this browser-based **** that will run on a '90s PC so gramma can enjoy it too.

Illkillya

save_our_socks wrote: »

Just watching Jem and the Hollograms.....love reliving my childhood memories.

Sega Mega Drive?!?! Do you have Sonic and Knuckles? If so Im coming over! Although nothing beats the amiga....james pond robocod and pushover all the way!!

Haha, James Pond was dire! Those Sonic games where you could split the screen and race each other were great though

sleepyescapade

Webmonkey wrote: »

Its going good. Playing columns on the sega mega drive.

OMG I love Sega Mega Drive!!!! Still have mine downstairs, would have to tune it into the TV though Or else TV would be too new for it. Ahhh Sonic 2 ftw

Webmonkey

megcork wrote: »

OMG I love Sega Mega Drive!!!! Still have mine downstairs, would have to tune it into the TV though Or else TV would be too new for it. Ahhh Sonic 2 ftw

It's great alright. I never had any console as child but used play at a friends house. It's good craic. It will work on your TV alright, assuming you can tune in normal channels :P

Webmonkey

I'm bored - stuck at home baby sitting the little sister and brother. Parents gone away for weekend. Fun weekend

Lads decided not to go out last night too after all trouble getting ready and coming home.

How's everyone's weekend going?

deRanged

I'm just back from "The Taking of Pelham 123". I enjoyed it - good acting on the whole, a little too much of the bourne identity shakycam/swift cuts, but good.
debating opening a bottle of wine.