• m ♦ ♦ » * * w > •» • ♦ ’ , * w ■» « , w « » « < * * > ^ ♦ ♦ ♦ • • ’••»»W '**» ’ •»•'* W V >‘ w « **♦ » •* 4 * *r Page 6, Portland Observer. December 1,1988 Computers & You! by T. W est, Com puter Consultant Are you an African Am erican Male between the ages of 18 and 27? Chances are you're looking for a skilled a r e a w h ic h w o u ld keep you ............. . . . em ployed and earning good wages. There are white collar skills in demand paying reasonable wages. These jobs require good typing skills (45 wpm, 60 wpm preferred). Personal com puters have become a revolution in large and sm all businesses. I’m sure you’ve heard of IBM PCs, Apple M acintosh, Apple II Es, Compaq, Commodore, and other personal computers. IBM and compatibles, and M acintosh are on the desktops of millions of businesses in America. Obviously someone must understand how to operate this equipm ent and the software which is used to perform business tasks. Facts are there’s a shortage of persons with the skills and knowledge to operate personal computers, to be referred to as PCs. Often businesses purchase these systems and cannot find qualified persons to operate them. To make things even more com plicated, new software is being developed every day and business users must be trained in how to use the newer software. So, you are that male earlier referred to and you need a good promising job or the skills to acqu ire such a job, what do you do? First acquire a typing skill. Now all of the “Macho’’ fellahs are probably saying “ Typing is for the ladies’’, however, you would be limiting yourself. More than a decade ago I recall sitting in a typing class with 20 females and one other male. You know the story of the tortoise and the hare. Needless to say me and the other guy were the tortoises. W e stayed in there and at the end of the quarter we were the hares. Now typing at 90+ wpm it is safe in saying the task was accomplished. How will this typing skill help you ? Most input on com puters is yet done through the keyboard (typing). People who have traditionally performed input were known as s e c re ta rie s , w ord p ro ce ssin g operators, data entry persons, and keypunch operators. Times have changed and will continue to change. People who input now along with some of those traditional people are: lawyers, doctors, police, CEOs (Corporate Executive Officers), construction workers. "^engineers, and many more. In S u p e rv is o rs a n d M a n a g e rs , Com puter Network Administrators, T e le x a nd F ax O p e ra to rs , Com puter Software Trainers, and others. These positions pay rather well. Good word processing operators can start out earning $8 an hour, certainly beats minimum wage. Many of your fathers adjusted by moving to the cities in the 1950s to pursue industrial blue collar jobs in the factories and other industries. You should adjust to acquire white collar jobs. Your female counter­ parts adjusted m any drive heavy rigs, log timber, build highways and b rid g e s, and b u ild in g o ffic e buildings. As young A frican American males you must adjust by acquiring white collar skills and knowledge. You should enroll in business courses which will assist you in getting jobs as tellers, word p ro c e s s in g o p e ra to rs , p ro g ra m m e rs, and c o m p u te r specialists. Be looking forward to other high tech information in your community newspaper. effect, typing skills add to whatever career you’re in, but that’s only part of it. Com puter skills are required in many adm inistrative white collar jobs as well as non-adm inistrative jobs. Blue collar jobs (digging d itc h e s , b u ild in g fa c to rie s , producing steel, harvesting crops, building ships, making automobiles and other items) are disappearing in America. However, the business aspects of blue collar work must be processed in America, even the though much of the blue collar work is performed in other countries. Computers are the machines by which large and small firms are p ro c e s s in g th e ir p a p e rw o rk . Therefore, some of the following personnel must be hired: Word Processing Operators (person who types letters, reports, and other correspondence), Typesetters, Programmers, Com puter Service Technician, Com puter Department r 1 I I I I (NOTE: In this issue POIC is advertising a free 15 week course which can start you down the road toward better jobs, better pay, and moving in step with the job market in America) " MD BATH TISSUE 1 Tüan sJuaJnt T ia u f WHY YOU SHOULD BUY A FRESH CUT C H R IST M A S TREE To Delight In Its Natural Beauty and Fullness A To Fill Your Room With the Scent of the Holidays That * Only A Natural Tree Can Give 4 To Promote the Holiday Tradition and An Old-Fashioned Christmas 4 To Add A Warm and Glowing Center To Your Home During the Holiday Season BENEFITS OF BUYING A CHRISTMAS TREE FROM US 4 Quality and Freshness SANTA'S 4 Discount Prices TREES NOBLE 4 Free and Timely Delivery 4 Oregon Grown Tree/“Buy Oregon 4 Personal and Friendly Service I CHRISTMAS TREES WREATHS GRAND STANDS DOUGLAS 5 ft. 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