Hi Melanie - I hope things improve for you. As for your training needs I think they key ones that will get you a gig = in tech writing in IT are: - Systems Analysis and Design (or Business Analysis) with focus on the = design process more than the programming languages - Usability studies/techniques - Professional Writing - A really good Advanced Word training course (one that teaches you = macro code) Don't worry too much about specific programming languages - they come = and go and most are getting more and more readable these days. It is = more important to know the processes that the IT team is going through = IMHO. Also - look into anything web related since it is where most IT jobs are = heading these days. Good Luck :) -----Original Message----- From: Melanie Dixon [mailto:meldixon@xxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Monday, 30 June 2003 8:05 AM To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [austechwriter] Another one down Hi everyone, My position at Jupiters was made redundant on June 20.=20 Does anyone have any advice for the newly retrenched? The job market = seems a bit barren.=20 I do have a specific query. I want to improve my technical skills so I = can work in a software development team and write technical documents, = such as functional specifications etc. I thought doing the programming = certificate at TAFE would be a good idea. Am I right or should I be = concentrating on another technical area? Any advice is well appreciated. Cheers, Melanie ************************************************** To post a message to austechwriter, send the message to = austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe to austechwriter, send a message to = austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" in the Subject = field. To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx = with "unsubscribe" in the Subject field. To search the austechwriter archives, go to = www.freelist.org/archives/austechwriter To contact the list administrator, send a message to = austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ************************************************** ************************************************** To post a message to austechwriter, send the message to austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe to austechwriter, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" in the Subject field. To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe" in the Subject field. To search the austechwriter archives, go to www.freelist.org/archives/austechwriter To contact the list administrator, send a message to austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx **************************************************