IT Business Savvy Is More Important Than Certifications: IT skill certifications don't hold the same value as they did in flusher economic times, says a report from IT employment and consulting firm Foote Partners. There has been a flattening of salaries between workers who have IT certifications and those who don’t. In its third-quarter IT Skills and Certification Pay Index report, Foote finds that 13 percent of noncertified skills got an increase in pay premiums over the last year while the same was true for only 5 percent of certified skill sets. Why? The report says that companies are looking for a "hybrid IT business professional with skills in business, sales, and marketing. Channel Insider Facebook Set to Hire Thousands, Open NYC Office: The social network says it will hire thousands of employees next year, with some of those new jobs in New York City, where real-estate rumors suggest the company will be doubling the size of its midtown office to make room for more engineers. The vast majority of Facebook’s 3,000 workers will still be located in Palo Alto and Seattle. Reuters IT Outsourcing to China Is Growing Quickly: Global services exports from China nearly tripled, to $3.5 billion in 2010 from $1.2 billion in 2007, with IT services accounting for 65 percent of the total, according to a report by analyst firm Everest Group. Everest predicts that China will do nearly $10 billion in outsourcing business by 2015 and remain a viable option for IT leaders seeking to cut labor costs for the next 13 years. Typically, CIOs leverage outsourcers in China to serve their regional businesses in Japan, Hong Kong, or Korea, or to support their growing Chinese operations that are designed tap into the domestic market. While expensive relative to other offshore outsourcing sites, operating costs in China's biggest cities are still 60 to 70 percent less than major U.S. cities, such as Dallas, says Everest. CIO.com GE and Microsoft Team Up on Health-Care Push: General Electric and Microsoft have announced plans to create a joint venture aimed at helping health-care organizations and professionals use real-time, system-wide intelligence to improve health-care quality. The new company will develop and market an open, interoperable technology platform and innovative clinical applications. “The complementary nature of GE Healthcare and Microsoft’s individual expertise will drive new insights, solutions, and efficiencies to further advance the two companies’ shared vision of a connected, patient-centric health-care system,” said Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE. The new company has yet to be named. It is expected to employ 750 people, mainly at Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, headquarters but also in Salt Lake City. Microsoft IT Investment Will Heat Up Next Year: According to the latest CDW IT Monitor survey, 46 percent of IT decision-makers say IT will be a top priority at their organizations next year, and 37 percent are considering large IT investments in the next six months. Twenty percent of IT decision-makers said they anticipate hiring additional IT staff in the next six months, the highest percentage in almost a year. "As 2012 draws near, many IT leaders are feeling optimistic as significant IT projects are getting top billing within their organizations. The survey findings demonstrate confidence among IT decision-makers that business-critical investments in hardware and IT solutions will be high priorities next year,” said Neal Campbell, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for CDW. Marketwatch 10 Billion Android App Downloads: Google said this week that its Android Marketplace surpassed 10 billion app downloads, a growth rate of 1 billion downloads per month. It took 22 months to reach 1 billion downloads but only one month to go from 9 billion to 10 billion. By contrast, Apple said its App Store had its 15 billionth download in July, but given the success of Android devices in the marketplace, Apple is sure to lose its lead soon. Meanwhile, Microsoft will open its own new Windows Store in February as part of the rollout of the next beta of Windows 8. Network World Siemens Needs 300 Interns: Siemens is inviting college students to apply for more than 300 positions in 2012 internship programs in its energy, industry, health care, and infrastructure and cities sectors. This year, 175 interns were hired full-time upon graduation. Most of these positions span the summer months, but a number of internships are also available throughout the year. Interested applicants can learn more at this website. Marketwatch Upcoming Tech Events Ready for Prime Time: A Service Provider's Perspective on Security in the Cloud December 13, 12 P.M. ET—Online Learn how organizations should begin to assess the viability of private-enterprise cloud solutions and services for Identity and Access Management (IAM). You’ll find out how major corporations are successfully using these cloud services to meet evolving business needs and solve increasingly stringent compliance requirements. Building a Smarter Enterprise Social-Media Strategy December 13, 1 P.M. ET—Online To create an effective enterprise social network, certain elements are needed in order to add true business utility and make such usage bulletproof. Join this live, interactive eSeminar to learn best practices for integrating social media into your organization’s overall business strategy. Find out what tools are available to ensure employee efficiency and productivity, while building a strong social community. Consumer Electronics Show January 10-13—Las Vegas It’s the mother of all consumer electronics trade shows. CES 2012 will feature more than 2,700 global technology companies unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across 15 major product categories, including the latest in audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging/photography, electronic gaming, entertainment/content and more. Facebook's Hiring; Business Savvy Trumps Certifications
DICE NEWS ROUNDUP IT Business Savvy Is More Important Than Certifications: IT skill certifications don't hold the same value as they did in flusher economic times, says a report from IT employment and consulting firm Foote Partners. There has been a flattening of salaries between workers who have IT certifications and those who don’t. In its third-quarter IT Skills and Certification Pay Index report, Foote finds that 13 percent of noncertified skills got an increase in pay premiums over the last year while the same was true for only 5 percent of certified skill sets. Why? The report says that companies are looking for a "hybrid IT business professional with skills in business, sales, and marketing. Channel Insider Facebook Set to Hire Thousands, Open NYC Office: The social network says it will hire thousands of employees next year, with some of those new jobs in New York City, where real-estate rumors suggest the company will be doubling the size of its midtown office to make room for more engineers. The vast majority of Facebook’s 3,000 workers will still be located in Palo Alto and Seattle. Reuters IT Outsourcing to China Is Growing Quickly: Global services exports from China nearly tripled, to $3.5 billion in 2010 from $1.2 billion in 2007, with IT services accounting for 65 percent of the total, according to a report by analyst firm Everest Group. Everest predicts that China will do nearly $10 billion in outsourcing business by 2015 and remain a viable option for IT leaders seeking to cut labor costs for the next 13 years. Typically, CIOs leverage outsourcers in China to serve their regional businesses in Japan, Hong Kong, or Korea, or to support their growing Chinese operations that are designed tap into the domestic market. While expensive relative to other offshore outsourcing sites, operating costs in China's biggest cities are still 60 to 70 percent less than major U.S. cities, such as Dallas, says Everest. CIO.com GE and Microsoft Team Up on Health-Care Push: General Electric and Microsoft have announced plans to create a joint venture aimed at helping health-care organizations and professionals use real-time, system-wide intelligence to improve health-care quality. The new company will develop and market an open, interoperable technology platform and innovative clinical applications. “The complementary nature of GE Healthcare and Microsoft’s individual expertise will drive new insights, solutions, and efficiencies to further advance the two companies’ shared vision of a connected, patient-centric health-care system,” said Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE. The new company has yet to be named. It is expected to employ 750 people, mainly at Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, headquarters but also in Salt Lake City. Microsoft IT Investment Will Heat Up Next Year: According to the latest CDW IT Monitor survey, 46 percent of IT decision-makers say IT will be a top priority at their organizations next year, and 37 percent are considering large IT investments in the next six months. Twenty percent of IT decision-makers said they anticipate hiring additional IT staff in the next six months, the highest percentage in almost a year. "As 2012 draws near, many IT leaders are feeling optimistic as significant IT projects are getting top billing within their organizations. The survey findings demonstrate confidence among IT decision-makers that business-critical investments in hardware and IT solutions will be high priorities next year,” said Neal Campbell, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for CDW. Marketwatch 10 Billion Android App Downloads: Google said this week that its Android Marketplace surpassed 10 billion app downloads, a growth rate of 1 billion downloads per month. It took 22 months to reach 1 billion downloads but only one month to go from 9 billion to 10 billion. By contrast, Apple said its App Store had its 15 billionth download in July, but given the success of Android devices in the marketplace, Apple is sure to lose its lead soon. Meanwhile, Microsoft will open its own new Windows Store in February as part of the rollout of the next beta of Windows 8. Network World Siemens Needs 300 Interns: Siemens is inviting college students to apply for more than 300 positions in 2012 internship programs in its energy, industry, health care, and infrastructure and cities sectors. This year, 175 interns were hired full-time upon graduation. Most of these positions span the summer months, but a number of internships are also available throughout the year. Interested applicants can learn more at this website. Marketwatch Upcoming Tech Events Ready for Prime Time: A Service Provider's Perspective on Security in the Cloud December 13, 12 P.M. ET—Online Learn how organizations should begin to assess the viability of private-enterprise cloud solutions and services for Identity and Access Management (IAM). You’ll find out how major corporations are successfully using these cloud services to meet evolving business needs and solve increasingly stringent compliance requirements. Building a Smarter Enterprise Social-Media Strategy December 13, 1 P.M. ET—Online To create an effective enterprise social network, certain elements are needed in order to add true business utility and make such usage bulletproof. Join this live, interactive eSeminar to learn best practices for integrating social media into your organization’s overall business strategy. Find out what tools are available to ensure employee efficiency and productivity, while building a strong social community. Consumer Electronics Show January 10-13—Las Vegas It’s the mother of all consumer electronics trade shows. CES 2012 will feature more than 2,700 global technology companies unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across 15 major product categories, including the latest in audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging/photography, electronic gaming, entertainment/content and more.
IT Business Savvy Is More Important Than Certifications: IT skill certifications don't hold the same value as they did in flusher economic times, says a report from IT employment and consulting firm Foote Partners. There has been a flattening of salaries between workers who have IT certifications and those who don’t. In its third-quarter IT Skills and Certification Pay Index report, Foote finds that 13 percent of noncertified skills got an increase in pay premiums over the last year while the same was true for only 5 percent of certified skill sets. Why? The report says that companies are looking for a "hybrid IT business professional with skills in business, sales, and marketing. Channel Insider Facebook Set to Hire Thousands, Open NYC Office: The social network says it will hire thousands of employees next year, with some of those new jobs in New York City, where real-estate rumors suggest the company will be doubling the size of its midtown office to make room for more engineers. The vast majority of Facebook’s 3,000 workers will still be located in Palo Alto and Seattle. Reuters IT Outsourcing to China Is Growing Quickly: Global services exports from China nearly tripled, to $3.5 billion in 2010 from $1.2 billion in 2007, with IT services accounting for 65 percent of the total, according to a report by analyst firm Everest Group. Everest predicts that China will do nearly $10 billion in outsourcing business by 2015 and remain a viable option for IT leaders seeking to cut labor costs for the next 13 years. Typically, CIOs leverage outsourcers in China to serve their regional businesses in Japan, Hong Kong, or Korea, or to support their growing Chinese operations that are designed tap into the domestic market. While expensive relative to other offshore outsourcing sites, operating costs in China's biggest cities are still 60 to 70 percent less than major U.S. cities, such as Dallas, says Everest. CIO.com GE and Microsoft Team Up on Health-Care Push: General Electric and Microsoft have announced plans to create a joint venture aimed at helping health-care organizations and professionals use real-time, system-wide intelligence to improve health-care quality. The new company will develop and market an open, interoperable technology platform and innovative clinical applications. “The complementary nature of GE Healthcare and Microsoft’s individual expertise will drive new insights, solutions, and efficiencies to further advance the two companies’ shared vision of a connected, patient-centric health-care system,” said Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE. The new company has yet to be named. It is expected to employ 750 people, mainly at Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, headquarters but also in Salt Lake City. Microsoft IT Investment Will Heat Up Next Year: According to the latest CDW IT Monitor survey, 46 percent of IT decision-makers say IT will be a top priority at their organizations next year, and 37 percent are considering large IT investments in the next six months. Twenty percent of IT decision-makers said they anticipate hiring additional IT staff in the next six months, the highest percentage in almost a year. "As 2012 draws near, many IT leaders are feeling optimistic as significant IT projects are getting top billing within their organizations. The survey findings demonstrate confidence among IT decision-makers that business-critical investments in hardware and IT solutions will be high priorities next year,” said Neal Campbell, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for CDW. Marketwatch 10 Billion Android App Downloads: Google said this week that its Android Marketplace surpassed 10 billion app downloads, a growth rate of 1 billion downloads per month. It took 22 months to reach 1 billion downloads but only one month to go from 9 billion to 10 billion. By contrast, Apple said its App Store had its 15 billionth download in July, but given the success of Android devices in the marketplace, Apple is sure to lose its lead soon. Meanwhile, Microsoft will open its own new Windows Store in February as part of the rollout of the next beta of Windows 8. Network World Siemens Needs 300 Interns: Siemens is inviting college students to apply for more than 300 positions in 2012 internship programs in its energy, industry, health care, and infrastructure and cities sectors. This year, 175 interns were hired full-time upon graduation. Most of these positions span the summer months, but a number of internships are also available throughout the year. Interested applicants can learn more at this website. Marketwatch Upcoming Tech Events Ready for Prime Time: A Service Provider's Perspective on Security in the Cloud December 13, 12 P.M. ET—Online Learn how organizations should begin to assess the viability of private-enterprise cloud solutions and services for Identity and Access Management (IAM). You’ll find out how major corporations are successfully using these cloud services to meet evolving business needs and solve increasingly stringent compliance requirements. Building a Smarter Enterprise Social-Media Strategy December 13, 1 P.M. ET—Online To create an effective enterprise social network, certain elements are needed in order to add true business utility and make such usage bulletproof. Join this live, interactive eSeminar to learn best practices for integrating social media into your organization’s overall business strategy. Find out what tools are available to ensure employee efficiency and productivity, while building a strong social community. Consumer Electronics Show January 10-13—Las Vegas It’s the mother of all consumer electronics trade shows. CES 2012 will feature more than 2,700 global technology companies unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across 15 major product categories, including the latest in audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging/photography, electronic gaming, entertainment/content and more. 
