Interesting Links for 31-01-2012

[andrewducker]

• Why teenagers are the way they are (two developing systems, out of sync with each other)
  (tags: psychology teenagers development brains )
• Font sizes are complicated (and made my head hurt)
  (tags: font )
• The Department of Homeland Security has no sense of humour.
  (tags: twitter jokes usa )
• The trend away from belief in God is accelerating

Comments

[artkouros]

I like the idea of apprenticeships. When I was 12 I started working with (or for) my dad. At the time I wasn't well suited for his line of work, but still, I think it was a better experience than working in a grocery store like my friends. If I had it to do over, I would have stayed in the family business.

[andrewducker]

I agree. I actually think that most programmers could learn better as an apprenticeship than by formal study.

[channelpenguin]

I've been banging on about this for years (for most things, I mean, not just programmers).

[a_pawson]

I agree and it used to be the norm for many trades/professions. Unfortunately that meant the burden of training lay with the employer, and very few employers are willing to pay for people's training. They would prefer the costs to be bourne by the individual or the state, hence why many jobs which people used to train for "on the job" now require people to go to college/university.

Modern apprenticeships are now only coming back into fashion because the government is paying for the majority of the cost, including any salary of the individual while they are at the company.

[danieldwilliam]

It’s still the norm for accountancy. Along side a bunch of passed exams you need three years experience to qualify as an accountant. The costs of the training are more often than not bourne by the employer.

It didn’t surprise me that as soon as I qualified I got a pay rise equal to the annual cost of my exam tuition.

I think the situation is similar for lawyers.