My view of the world and anything that might interest me.
As most of you reading this blog already know, I am heading to IBM starting 1 Dec. Have just read Kelly’s blog all about Hack Day and then came across this map. How disappointed that no marker is found on the Southern tip of Africa.
After 1 Dec, this will be one of the first things I will try to change .. put IBM South Africa on that map.
As mentioned before, Safmarine has outsourced their computing requirements to IBM and in the process sold all of SCS to IBM. Now that includes all the people of which I am one.
The official date when we become IBM’ers, as it is called, is 1 Dec 2006. Up until 30 November we are in a process called transition. That basically involved getting everyone changed/moved/converted to the IBM Medical Aid, IBM Pension Fund and all things IBM. So this means that we are bombarded with information so that we can make informed decision about we going to structure our salary package and IBM needs to make sure that none of us is worse of than we are at the moment at SCS.
One thing I am really looking forward to is having access to the vasts amount of information and knowledge that is available in the IBM organization. I am a real information junky, you have to see what my RSS reader looks like. Oh and not forgetting all the training and courses that is available, most in an online way to be done when it suits you.
On the downside is that IBM SA headoffice is in Jhb which means I have to travel to Jhb from time to time — in fact will be spending a couple of days in Jhb coming week.
Technorati Tags: IBM, SCS, Safmarine, new work, transition
Safmarine has outsourced their computing requirements to IBM South Africa for the next 10 years and with it all staff (that includes me) will be moving to IBM subject to approval by the competitions board. So sometime in the future when the transition process is complete, I will become part of the IBM family. Will have to see whether this is a good or bad thing — time will tell.
To read more about it visit – http://www.moneyweb.co.za/shares/ict_sector/920207.htm
I just returned from a week in Belgium on business. What a great trip, the weather was probably the best that Belgium has seen in who knows how many years. Daily temperature around 25 degrees.
I drank a lot of great beer, Leffe Blond, Duvel and who knows what else and all of it was great. Nothing in South Africa can compare with it. And then in the mornings to have great strong coffee to be able to get on with the day after all the beers of the previous evening.
And then the people is so friendly and looks like they have no worries in the world.
On my way back I flew on SAA and what a disaster. The entertainment center did not work and they could not fix it and I sat the whole way next to the English old bag that could not stop chatting and kept on telling me how great England is and how crap the Irish is.
Oh and can somebody answer me why Belgium woman is not fat. I did not see any real fat and big Belgium woman. All of them is good looking and have great bodies. Must be all the cycling they do. There must be more bicycles on the roads than cars.
Cannot wait for my next visit.
Technorati Tags: Belgium, Travel, Europe, Beer, Coffee, Chocolates
What a hectic first week at Safmarine!! Information overload and trying to remember names and faces of 100 people is not easy. Well I am the Programme Manager that have to keep my client in Belgium happy when it comes to all the projects that a team of 8 Project Managers handle.
Currently very busy planning my first trip to Belgium at the beginning of August to meet my client face to face.
Also at the same time have to get to grips with Price2 Project Management methodology.
In a bit more than a week (27 June) I again join the corporate world as a full-time employee after 28 months of doing things on my own. I am looking forward being part of a team again.
I am joining Safmarine Computer Services (SCS) as a Project Manager. It will be very interesting to see how things gets done in the shipping world.
I also hope to spread the FLOSS word and the benefit FLOSS can be in a corporate world.
The 2 concepts in the title in my opinion is mutually exclusive. Over the last 2 years I have been job hunting and have not found 1 recruitment agent that has any ethics to speak off.
Some of them like Microstaff is just blatantly liars. They would not hesitate sending your details and CV to companies without your permission. Never ever even bother to ask any agent to get back to you via email or phone. They just do not bother. Most of them will give you some story when you confront them on why you was not selected for a certain position.
There is one or 2 exceptions that is slightly better. And I emphasis the word slightly.
I have learned that it is a waste of time using job sites like CareerJunction, PNET or Careerweb to find a job. You application will just go down a bottomless pit. Using Recruitment agencies is just as bad. How they make money and survive I do not understand.
I suppose it is just because I am an oldish white male. Does not matter that I have all the experience in the world.
Well if you want to talk to me regarding a job the please contact me via my details on the contact page.