The Sacramento Bee recently sponsored a "Workplace Excellence Award,"  in conjunction with the Sacramento Area Human Resource Association,  seeking to identify the most innovative employers in the Sacramento area.  The Bee followed up with an insert on Friday April 25th called "Best Places to Work 2008."  It gave a bird’s eye view of some great Sacramento companies and highlighted what they do to attract and retain employees.  The focus is on local employers who view their employees as their most important asset. 

You can upgrade to the best computer software or equipment relatively easily, but if you lose a valued employee, it is extremely difficult to replace that asset.  Of the 16 winners in this year’s award program, almost all employ engineers and/or computer professionals.

Notable winners include Caltrans, Cal ISO, Sacramento Air Quality Management District, City of Sacramento, EDAW/AECOM, and Williams & Paddon. (Look them up on Google!)

On a related subject,  the US Department of Labor (the Bureau of Labor Statistics) recently issued the new Occupational Outlook Handbook,  which includes employment projections for engineers and computer scientists.  The numbers are staggering.  The charts below show some of the anticipated demands for engineers and computer professionals projected over the next 8 years.

Engineering employers have already done the math. They know that it is costly to hire and train the engineering and technical professionals that are so essential to their business success,  and so they want to make certain that the talent they land remains in their organization.  That’s why they strive to create excellent places to work. 

They are also competing for talent and willing to pay more.  Graduating candidates (as well as seasoned professionals now on the market) are receiving multiple offers.  Salaries are climbing, offers are being sweetened, amenities abound. Employers anxious to hire are even using current employees as a resource in identifying and recruiting candidates.  And,  they are also offering hiring bonuses of up to $2500.   Even State agencies are increasing salaries, offering bonuses, and creating worker friendly environments to attract and retain engineers.

Companies are offering multiple enticements and inducements to keep employees happy these days: signing bonuses, retention bonuses, extensive employee training programs, education reimbursement, educational incentive programs (paid bonus for completing degrees), license bonuses and professional dues reimbursement.  On the more creative end,  many are providing employees with massage therapy, workout facilities, gym memberships, weight-loss support (for those who failed to take advantage of the gym), flexible work schedules, on-site services (such as dry-cleaning pick up and delivery, car wash, and access to theater tickets), reduced work hours,  parental leave, family picnics and events, bike racks, lockers and showers (good move).

The take away message:  you need to know that right now,  you are in the driver’s seat and that the terms of your employment are negotiable.  You don’t want to miss the boat,  but you don’t necessarily want to jump at the first thing that comes along.  And with respect to your career,  it’s no time to think that you’re going to get thrown overboard.  Show up on time,  do the work,  have a good attitude,  and enjoy the fruits of being in a high demand field.  You’re in the right place  at the right time.

FIRST ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON QUALITY SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Friday, October 10, 2008
7:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Foothill Suite - University Union

CALL FOR PRESENTERS
Immediate response requested!

BACKGROUND. Software is playing an ever-increasing role in our day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, software systems often fail to deliver as promised. It is widely known that unresolved errors remain in many software systems that we are using every day.

OBJECTIVE. We wish to create a forum for the greater Sacramento area to bring software development professionals from business, industry and government together to discuss the current practices and challenges in quality software development. Ultimately, we hope to benefit software engineering education.

The inaugural CSUS Software Engineering Conference will provides a forum for individuals and organizations seeking technologies, concepts, and methodologies to improve the quality of their software products, processes, and services, and looking to enjoy networking and learning opportunities.

WHY ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE?

* To learn proven methods and techniques for software engineering, quality and project management that others in the Sacramento region are using to achieve software excellence.
* To network with your peers to compare successes and challenges
* To increase your productivity by implementing the tools and techniques presented
* To participate in tutorials that will provide you with new skills to enhance your working processes
* To learn about new tools and products provided by exhibitors

CALL FOR PRESENTERS. The Software Engineering Faculty Group in the Department of Computer Science is soliciting proposals for presenters on various aspects software development that inform attendees about issues and practices affecting the delivery of quality software. The format for this conference will include a variety of sessions with individual presenters, co-presenters or panel discussions. Suggested Topics of Interest are listed below. Sessions will run approximately 45 minutes and include the presentation and follow-up discussion.

Interested parties should go to http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career/software to register.

REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING. Done well, requirements engineering presents an opportunity to reduce costs and increase the quality of software systems. Done poorly, it could lead to software cost overruns, customer dissatisfaction, and software project failure. Many software project failures have been attributed to requirements engineering issues. These include poorly documented requirements, requirements that were impossible to satisfy; requirements that failed to meet the needs of users, and requirements creep.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

* Requirement analysis and elicitation techniques
* Requirements specification - one way or many ways
* Requirement traceability and change control processes
* Requirement analysis modeling (use cases, sequence diagrams, etc.)
* Requirement validation and evaluation
* Modeling Non-functional Requirements
* Reusing Requirements and reusability

SOFTWARE DESIGN. From a requirements specification to a software product, software design plays an important role in identifying and defining software elements/components, their externally visible properties, and the interactions among them. To succeed you need techniques that facilitate the creation and analysis of system designs, the communication between software architects and stakeholders, as well as the communication between software architects and implementation teams.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

* Design tactics for non-functional quality attributes (e.g., availability, security, modifiability, usability)
* Software architectures design patterns (e.g., service-oriented architecture, multi-tier architecture)
* Object-oriented design patterns (e.g., creation patterns, structural patterns, behavioral patterns)
* Design notations (e.g. UML)
* Software design reuse and product lines
* Software design analysis and evaluation

VERIFICATION, VALIDATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE. The software V&V process is tightly integrated with the software development process. For each activity in software development there is a corresponding software V&V activity to verify or validate the products of those activities. Software V&V includes activities to determine that the software system performs its intended functions correctly, to ensure that it performs no unintended functions, and to asses the software quality attributes such as reliability, security, usability, efficiency, and maintainability.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

* Software V&V management
* V&V traceability analysis
* Test-driven development
* Test automation
* Model-based testing
* Code review and inspection
* Test oracles
* Object oriented testing
* Measuring testing progress

PROJECT MANAGEMENT. Software development projects are typically fast-paced, with customers that are more demanding, less patient, and with less tolerance for software that does not work. Practices that may have worked on previous projects often do not work on current projects. There is no one "best practice" for managing projects. Consequently, project managers are continually faced with a challenge to deliver software on time and within budget and yet still provide customers and users with quality software that meets their needs.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

* Project lifecycle management to fit the project
* Risk management
* Teamwork
* Technical reviews
* Realistic and usable work breakdown scheduling and control
* Estimating and scheduling the work
* Managing meetings
* Assessment, process improvement and what to measure

Sponsored by the Department of Computer Science,
College of Engineering and Computer Science

The Software Engineering Faculty Group:

Professor Bob Buckley
buckley@csus.edu

Professor Ahmed Salem
salema@csus.edu

Professor Cui Zhang
Graduate Program Coordinator
zhangc@csus.edu

Co Sponsor
IEEE Sacramento Valley Section

STUDENT JOB BULLETIN - 84516
SMOG CHECK REFEREE PROGRAM
2 Positions Available
Bureau of Automotive Repair

The Foundation for California Community Colleges is contracted by the Bureau of Automotive Repair to operate the Smog Check Referee Program and Parts Locator Services. The Referee Scheduling Center (R.S.C.) assists California motorists with information regarding smog check requirements and clearing noise level citations. The R.S.C. schedules Smog Check Referee appointments as needed. Smog Check Referee services include but are not limited to; engine change verification, gray market vehicles, waivers, disputes, parts exemptions, and noise level tests. The position listed below is available to college students currently enrolled in at least six semester or equivalent quarter units and at least a 2.0 GPA. Applicants are hired through the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Upon receipt of your application, our staff will review your qualifications and will contact you should your education and experience match the requirements of our current opening.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Answer incoming calls
• Provide program information
• Schedule appointments
• Document consumer inquiries/complaints
• Pilot/Research Projects
• Perform general office duties as needed

• Strong customer service skills
• Strong verbal communication
• Basic computer skills
• Organizational skills
• Certificate provided upon completion of training

Desirable Qualifications

Preferred Abilities: Professional telephone etiquette Bilingual (Spanish) Strongly desired Dependable and punctual

Contact

Final Filing Date: Until position is filled.
Salary: $10.00 per hour
Hours: Part-time

TRANSCRIPTS AND PROOF OF ENROLLMENT ARE REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF INTERVIEW.

Contact Person: Stacy Gibson
Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Programs/ Call Center Supervisor
Phone: 1-866-325-3222 ext. 151
Fax: 916-491-4480
Email: sgibson@foundationccc.org

Hello Cici,

We have one opening position for Civil Engineering Student Assistant. Please let your students know that we are hiring and direct them to our website http://www.water.ca.gov/jobs/dwr_job_vacancies.cfm for other full time opening positions such as Associate Information Systems Analyst, Electrical and Civil Engineering. Thank you in advance.

Following is the ad for Civil Engineering Student Assistant. Please have the students view the attachment of duty statement if they are interest. The student assistant will receive state service credits, sick leave and vacation working for DWR according to the DWR Student Assistant Guideline depends on their completion and accumulation hour worked.

Student Assistant (Engineering and Architectural) ($11.55-17.28/hour) - Two Positions Available - Division of Engineering, Geotechnical and Structures Branch, Sacramento, Temporary Intermittent (Final Filling Date: 05/07/08). Prepare design drawings using CADD, develop presentations, perform basic civil engineering calculations, maintain databases and file reports. Desirable Qualifications: CADD, computer, and proficiency in writing. Good oral and written communication skills. Possess a valid California driver’s license.

Contact: Arnold Sanchez (916) 657-3257 or sanchez@water.ca.gov, 1416 Ninth Street, Room 538, Sacramento, California 95814.

Any questions please let me know. Thank you very much in advance.

Best Regards,

Anne Luc
Recruitment and Selection Services
Department of Water Resources
1416 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 653-6876
Email: aluc@water.ca.gov

Just wanted to extend an April greeting from the Franchise Tax Board IT Recruitment and remind all of you of the great career opportunities. Yes, we are still hiring! We will be hiring hundreds of individuals this year and next.
 http://www.ftb.ca.gov/human_resources/Exams

We are still recruiting for the statewide Associate Programmer Analyst exam for IT professionals.  But,there is a great entry level exam available at this time…..…

The Tax Program Assistant is a great exam to take. Doesn’t pay much. But, it is an entry into state service. Plus, you can take the promotional exams once you are eligible when you are an FTB employee. We give many more promotional exams each fiscal year. Many of our IT and business professionals got their start into state service in this classification. Then they took the promotional exams that they qualified for once they were in state service.

This is a one day filing on April 30th this time but it will open again so watch for it...  Just have individuals follow the information on the exam bulletin.

Here is a direct link to the state application form, too:
 http://www.spb.ca.gov/jobs/stateapp.htm

Remember, if you are looking for a “How to Start Your Career with the State of California” presentation….please contact me. We can coordinate an event.

Have a great week!

Sally Bennett
Franchise Tax Board
IT Initiatives Coordinator
(916) 845-3823
PO BOX 1468 MS L-240
Sacramento, CA  95812
WWW.FTB.CA.GOV
LA2D-B21-01

Brent M. Perkins
Recruiter-Architecture & Engineering
Aerotek
1610 Arden Way Suite 121
Sacramento, Ca 95815
bperkins@aerotek.com
www.aerotek.com

tel: 916-286-2130
tel2: 800-230-0406
fax: 916-286-2192

Employers are hiring from the resumes posted on our web site at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career.  If you have not already posted your resume on the ECS Career Services Office Web Site, now is the time!!!  Just click on the Post Your Resume button!

Students are reporting multiple offers from using a combination of the resume posting service, the JETX job listings, and from Career Day 2008.  If you missed Career Day 2008 you can still access the hiring and contact information on the ECS Career Services web site at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career.

Cool new feature!!!  Employers are able to search your resume now with key words!

I also send resumes out to companies so send me a soft copy in MS Word.  cici@csus.edu

The College of Engineering and Computer Science Needs Your Data

Please report any offers that you have received to ECS Career Services Web site:

 http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career  - click on the "Just Hired" link.

If you got a student position we need your data.  

If you have graduated in the past few years or if you are graduating this semester we need your data.  

The information you share is used for ABET reports and to help me identify trends in employment and salaries.

I keep your info confidential.  I only report the data!  I use your contact data to confirm and to keep in touch with you.