AS400 Programmer/Analyst

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

I'm not sure about a resurgence for RPG, I would like to think so. RPG has to be the most robust business programming language there is. For years now the ISV are hawking "web enablement" "e-business" "B2B" etc etc and I am just not getting it. Our company is a low end manufacturing company that has been in business for 50 years. The ERP system has been humming away for about 9 years. We don't need web anything. We need a robust system that does not need an army of highly skilled tech people propping up every procedure/function. Our users are not high tech people. A green screen text, menu driven application is their limit. The AS400 was a PERFECT fit. Now, I dunno. EDI has now taken an interesting turn. Customers want AS1/AS2 document exchanges. Nothing wrong with that if it will reduce VAN costs but here's the catch, our biggest customer wants to recoup THEIR investment by charging US fees based on data volume. Similarly another customer wants us to implement a specific software solution costing about $7k. Is it any wonder manufacturing is going overseas ?

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

Established manufacturing company requires experienced AS400 Programmer/Analyst. Minumum 3 years experience with the AS400, RPG and CL programming. This is not a high tech environment and the focus is on AS400 RPG development and enhancement to the Geac System 21 ERP package. Candidate must possess good communications skills and be a sound IT professional. Work place is located in the West Side of Los Angeles, CA. Only local candidates will be considered and no H-1B candidates will be considered.

[R.Daugherty]

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

JimmyKerr wrote: "I think you are wrong to say that RPGII programmers were not given jobs on the AS400 because they had no RPGIII experience. It makes no sense to ask for 2/3 years experience in a language that had been out for less than 2 years. The AS400 customer base was built on existing S36/S38 shops. In fact history repeats itself now. How many new customers are IBM attracting to the iSeries ? Very few. When was the last time you saw an AS400 RPG programmer under the age of 35 ? About ten years ago ?" Good points all, Jimmy. What I'm seeing from my limited view of the world are mainframe Cobol programmers being moved to AS/400 RPG as older mainframe sytems in a company go away. A consolidation of legacy, if you will. They pick it up fairly readily because the business jargon and logic is the the same, being in the same company, and RPG syntax is straightforward. I quit seeing new RPG programmers coming out of schools about three years ago. Before that there was a steady stream. But companies are done paying for brain dead pipe dreams from IT. Cobol and RPG will be seen again as the cost effective solutions they are. Put a decent interface on the AS/400 besides converting green screens to web pages, and we could have a resurgence of the AS/400 again. Until then, people are going to get their money's worth out of existing AS/400's with green screens and RPG programmers for a long time. rd

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

I think you are wrong to say that RPGII programmers were not given jobs on the AS400 because they had no RPGIII experience. It makes no sense to ask for 2/3 years experience in a language that had been out for less than 2 years. The AS400 customer base was built on existing S36/S38 shops. In fact history repeats itself now. How many new customers are IBM attracting to the iSeries ? Very few. When was the last time you saw an AS400 RPG programmer under the age of 35 ? About ten years ago ?

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

If there is a shortage of AS/400 talent it is because when the AS/400 came out, companies only wanted Sr. level programmers, and even though there were plenty of Sr. RPG programmers, due to the popularity of the S/36, they did not have the S/38 and RPGIII 'experience' that the AS/400 shops were requiring. RPGII and RPGIII were not so far apart that any intelligent programmer could not have mastered the difference. In fact, any RPGII programmer would have given his eye teeth to have had it on the S/36. And as far as CL and OCL, CL is not difficult to pickup. So if the AS/400 community is having problems finding talent now, it is due to narrow minded IS management thinking.

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

I tend to agree with you - now. It is a system open for abuse and a form of servitude. At one time I believe there was a skill shortage for RPG programmers. There still is but not because there are not enough RPG programmers but because RPG programmers are moving on to something else. Why take an RPG programming job when you can develop in another environment that will cross other platforms ?

[David Abramowitz]

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

The way the law is supposed to work, is that H1-B employment is to be denied if there are ANY available US Citizens or Green-Card holders available for the same position. Regardless of salary Regardless of location. Just another example of why this piece of sausage should be allowed to expire into an anonymous abyss. Dave

[R.Daugherty]

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

JimmyKerr wrote: "It must be a different Jim Kerr. 2 reasons, I'm not that sharp and have never been to PA ! Kerr is not a common name either. Daugherty looks to be a Scottish name ! Going back to the H1 issue. This company has employed 3 people on H1 myself included. Due to the economic downturn I doubt I would have a case for another H1 visa applicant. Or would I ? That would be a different topic " whooo, that's a loaded topic with so many people out of work! Even during the dot com boom I didn't get a sense of AS/400 programmers jumping jobs to cash in. Sure, there's always plenty of turnover, but I mean not like the dot commers made it so difficult for companies to keep their staffs. So I really would have a hard time understanding why there wouldn't be really good RPG talent available who would love to work on System 21, and technically perhaps even how a company could justify an H1 within the scope of requirements that the talent not be available. I don't think they could justify that, so I think the decision made and the ad run is the way the H1 law was meant to be. regards, Ralph

[R.Daugherty]

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

dglawrhts wrote: "Most of the companies I have interviewed with offered relocation. However, if you left within a certain period of time, usually one year, you would be required to pay back the relocation." Sorry, I should have been more specific. The ad was for an LA job (alright, west LA, which is close enough for anyone wanting to move to south cali , and my response really applies to LA, the entire southwest to Texas, and the NY metro area. Companies in the heartland are much more flexible about helping a good technical acquisition come onboard. Locals only, no relo used to be stated in nearly every ad in the southwest and NY. I haven't seen any ads at all for awhile now, so I don't know if it changed, but I doubt it. rd

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

Most of the companies I have interviewed with offered relocation. However, if you left within a certain period of time, usually one year, you would be required to pay back the relocation.

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

It must be a different Jim Kerr. 2 reasons, I'm not that sharp and have never been to PA ! Kerr is not a common name either. Daugherty looks to be a Scottish name ! Going back to the H1 issue. This company has employed 3 people on H1 myself included. Due to the economic downturn I doubt I would have a case for another H1 visa applicant. Or would I ? That would be a different topic

[R.Daugherty]

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

Saying local only is straightfoward. In fact, I have not seen anything but that for quite some time now. Was amazed to see a local company advertising here which offered relocation. Very rare these days. The question was why an internet wide forum for a local only job? The answer might be better reach to AS/400 professionals than say the LA Times. I don't know, but it's a good question. I used to know a really sharp AS/400 dude named Jim Kerr. Saw a post here from a Jim Kerr in Pa. a couple of years ago. I guess there could be a lot of Jim Kerr's in AS/400 land... Anyway, it was a good ad. Somebody will be lucky to get the job. rd

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

I stated "local only" for a couple of reasons. I have recruited for this company before using a similar service. I had responses from all over the world. I can not ask people from another continent let alone another state come here to be interviewed. The majority of the people that did respond were not eligible for working in the USA, i.e. needed H1 visas etc. I paid to have a candidate travel from another state for an interview including air fare and hotel. He accepted the position at the time of interview, signed and returned his offer of employment and was never heard from again. Another candidate "could not commute" the 40 miles from his home to the office. In fact he declined an interview. I consider someone living within a 40-50 mile radius as "local" clearly this person did not. I do not want 100 resumes from people in San Francisco, Orange County, Nebraska, India, Bangladesh, the EEC, etc that have no intention of relocating at their own expense either. Should I have worded things differently ?

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

Just happy to see they are NOT hiring H-1B visa guest workers. I know programmers that have taken jobs in other fields because of the economic downturn. We don't need H-1B visa guest workers, our citizens should come first.

[David Abramowitz]

AS400 Programmer/Analyst

If you want to split hairs, O.K. - - - - I didn't agree, just tended to agree by stating "more than likely". Also, agreeing with a negative interpretation is not the same thing as interpreting negatively. Dave