本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛WATERLOO, Ont. - The future seemed glaringly bright for Rob Calendino when he entered the University of Waterloo's computer engineering program in 1998.
At the time, graduates from the school's computer technology programs were being offered large salaries and stock options upon leaving school to join the burgeoning ranks of dot-com startups and up-and-coming telecommunications companies. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft Corp., had repeatedly said Waterloo was one of the best places to find new recruits for his software empire.
But Mr. Gates wasn't the only one tapping into the resources of the university. Suddenly every expanding tech company -- and during the boom that was almost all of them -- turned to Waterloo to find their next software hotshot to power their dot-com startup or expand their telecommunications network.
"When I started in this program, I expected to start working and make $100,000 and options right away," says Mr. Calendino, a 23-year-old computer engineering student at the University of Waterloo who will graduate this year.
But those expectations have been drastically curtailed and now even the best and brightest from Canada's most prominent educational institution for computer science are facing a reality check.
"There's a real sense of unease among the computer students," Mr. Calendino says.
That's a big change from October, 2000, when this reporter went to the Waterloo to talk to computer students about their plans for the future. Upon graduation, students from Waterloo's illustrious computer engineering and programming courses expected to be lured to Silicon Valley in California with options worth millions and astronomical salaries.
"I'm not trying to sound greedy, but I'm planning on going to the U.S.," said one student who was a year from graduating at the time.
"And I think that most of the people in my classes feel the same."
But that comment was made before Canadian technology giants Nortel Networks Corp. and JDS Uniphase Corp. cut more than 75,000 jobs between them and U.S. giants like Cisco Systems Inc. cut another 8,000. Tech stock prices fell dramatically, leaving many stock options all but worthless.
One of the factors that drew technology companies to the University of Waterloo during the boom was its renowned co-operative education program. Students enrolled in the school's co-op program are expected to put in between four and six work terms.
Two years ago, according to Bruce Lumsden, the university's director of co-operative education and career services, the school could not have enough co-op students to fill all the demand from technology companies like Nortel, Cisco and Oracle Corp.
That's changed, Mr. Lumsden says, noting the school couldn't find placements for 270 students in its most recent work term. Of that number, most of those who couldn't find work came from the engineering and math departments.
In 2000 and 2001, the university saw an average of 90 company informational sessions per term. Companies use these sessions to try to attract students to come to work with them during co-op and, in many cases, join permanently following the conclusion of their degrees.
Now only between 30 and 40 sessions are occurring each term, Mr. Lumsden says.
Firms like Nortel, which had hired co-op students from Waterloo since the 1950s when the company was Northern Electric, have simply stopped seeking co-op students.
"At one point there would be a [co-op] posting and it would be pages and pages of jobs at Nortel," says Ms. Schachter, a 21-year-old student in Waterloo's computer science department. "How many were there recently? I don't remember seeing any."
Throughout the downturn, the one bright light continues to be Microsoft. Students who work at Microsoft during co-op terms are often asked back for permanent placements. In fact, Waterloo has become such a breeding ground for new engineers that it is one of only two schools (the other is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) where Microsoft does interviews, as opposed to flying prospective hires to its headquarters in Redmond, Wash.
Both Mr. Calendino and Ms. Schachter spent work terms at Microsoft, and often there are dozens of University of Waterloo students slaving away at the company's suburban campus.
Students who land a job at Microsoft during a co-op term also garner significant work experience. Rather than working at mundane parts of Microsoft's business, most are put to work coding software projects.
"If you code, you'll work on code on product that actually will ship," says Ms. Schachter, who worked at Microsoft during a co-op in 2002.
Microsoft also remains one of the few companies in the technology industry with the cash and resources to be able to offer jobs to students months before they actually graduate.
Other companies, especially those located in Waterloo, have benefited from the tech slowdown. At the height of the bubble, many Canadian companies couldn't attract top talent from schools like the University of Waterloo. Now students like Mr. Calendino are looking at Waterloo companies as an option for employment.
For those that don't manage to land a job after finishing their degree, graduate studies is becoming more of an option. Especially given that many of those who were fired from jobs in the tech industry over the past two years are vying for jobs with those fresh out of university.
"Jobs are being snapped up so fast by these guys that have been laid off," said Mr. Calendino. "It makes it tough for those of us that are just getting out of school."
With the dream of options and sports cars passing out of sight and no rebound in the technology sector in view, Mr. Calendino is considering all of his options.
"I'd take a job for $50,000 a year and staying in Canada wouldn't bother me a bit."更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
At the time, graduates from the school's computer technology programs were being offered large salaries and stock options upon leaving school to join the burgeoning ranks of dot-com startups and up-and-coming telecommunications companies. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft Corp., had repeatedly said Waterloo was one of the best places to find new recruits for his software empire.
But Mr. Gates wasn't the only one tapping into the resources of the university. Suddenly every expanding tech company -- and during the boom that was almost all of them -- turned to Waterloo to find their next software hotshot to power their dot-com startup or expand their telecommunications network.
"When I started in this program, I expected to start working and make $100,000 and options right away," says Mr. Calendino, a 23-year-old computer engineering student at the University of Waterloo who will graduate this year.
But those expectations have been drastically curtailed and now even the best and brightest from Canada's most prominent educational institution for computer science are facing a reality check.
"There's a real sense of unease among the computer students," Mr. Calendino says.
That's a big change from October, 2000, when this reporter went to the Waterloo to talk to computer students about their plans for the future. Upon graduation, students from Waterloo's illustrious computer engineering and programming courses expected to be lured to Silicon Valley in California with options worth millions and astronomical salaries.
"I'm not trying to sound greedy, but I'm planning on going to the U.S.," said one student who was a year from graduating at the time.
"And I think that most of the people in my classes feel the same."
But that comment was made before Canadian technology giants Nortel Networks Corp. and JDS Uniphase Corp. cut more than 75,000 jobs between them and U.S. giants like Cisco Systems Inc. cut another 8,000. Tech stock prices fell dramatically, leaving many stock options all but worthless.
One of the factors that drew technology companies to the University of Waterloo during the boom was its renowned co-operative education program. Students enrolled in the school's co-op program are expected to put in between four and six work terms.
Two years ago, according to Bruce Lumsden, the university's director of co-operative education and career services, the school could not have enough co-op students to fill all the demand from technology companies like Nortel, Cisco and Oracle Corp.
That's changed, Mr. Lumsden says, noting the school couldn't find placements for 270 students in its most recent work term. Of that number, most of those who couldn't find work came from the engineering and math departments.
In 2000 and 2001, the university saw an average of 90 company informational sessions per term. Companies use these sessions to try to attract students to come to work with them during co-op and, in many cases, join permanently following the conclusion of their degrees.
Now only between 30 and 40 sessions are occurring each term, Mr. Lumsden says.
Firms like Nortel, which had hired co-op students from Waterloo since the 1950s when the company was Northern Electric, have simply stopped seeking co-op students.
"At one point there would be a [co-op] posting and it would be pages and pages of jobs at Nortel," says Ms. Schachter, a 21-year-old student in Waterloo's computer science department. "How many were there recently? I don't remember seeing any."
Throughout the downturn, the one bright light continues to be Microsoft. Students who work at Microsoft during co-op terms are often asked back for permanent placements. In fact, Waterloo has become such a breeding ground for new engineers that it is one of only two schools (the other is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) where Microsoft does interviews, as opposed to flying prospective hires to its headquarters in Redmond, Wash.
Both Mr. Calendino and Ms. Schachter spent work terms at Microsoft, and often there are dozens of University of Waterloo students slaving away at the company's suburban campus.
Students who land a job at Microsoft during a co-op term also garner significant work experience. Rather than working at mundane parts of Microsoft's business, most are put to work coding software projects.
"If you code, you'll work on code on product that actually will ship," says Ms. Schachter, who worked at Microsoft during a co-op in 2002.
Microsoft also remains one of the few companies in the technology industry with the cash and resources to be able to offer jobs to students months before they actually graduate.
Other companies, especially those located in Waterloo, have benefited from the tech slowdown. At the height of the bubble, many Canadian companies couldn't attract top talent from schools like the University of Waterloo. Now students like Mr. Calendino are looking at Waterloo companies as an option for employment.
For those that don't manage to land a job after finishing their degree, graduate studies is becoming more of an option. Especially given that many of those who were fired from jobs in the tech industry over the past two years are vying for jobs with those fresh out of university.
"Jobs are being snapped up so fast by these guys that have been laid off," said Mr. Calendino. "It makes it tough for those of us that are just getting out of school."
With the dream of options and sports cars passing out of sight and no rebound in the technology sector in view, Mr. Calendino is considering all of his options.
"I'd take a job for $50,000 a year and staying in Canada wouldn't bother me a bit."更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net