Career Advice from Animal Farm

My grandson just finished reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm in his English class.  We had some discussions about it, and we decided there are a few messages in it for a young person entering the world of work;

Don’t think that hard work and strength alone will pay off.  Boxer the horse longed for the glorious retirement all animals had been promised. His two mottos were “Comrade Napoleon is always right” and “I will work harder.”  Way too trusting, he ended up in a van headed for the glue factory despite all those promises.

Common sense alone is not enough.  Don’t be afraid to speak up when something seems wrong.  You will need allies.  Benjamin the donkey was the only one who remembered the original goals of the Revolution and the original 7 commandments, but he had no support among the other animals.

Look out for leaders who don’t lend a hand, like the pigs.  They were smart, but always seemed to be planning rather than working.

Beware of the visionaries who make promises that cannot possibly come true, such as Moses the Raven. He described a paradise with sugar for all, but only after death.

Wouldn’t you like to have known these things before you started work?

Are you registered?

I am!  I’ve only a vague idea of what is going to happen during Computer Science Education Week (starting Dec. 9), but I’ve registered to participate.

Have you heard about this world-wide phenomenon called The Hour of Code?  It is an education effort designed primarily for students (but they are letting the rest of us tag along), developed and presented by the captains of the computer world – I mean the real giants in the field.  Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, etc etc. are concerned about the lack of competent programmers being trained right now, so they are planning to enlighten us and demystify the programming process a bit.

During Computer Science Education week, this special tutorial called Hour of Code will be offered to schools, communities, day care centers, families, workplaces, and anyone who wants to learn.  I suggest you register now, so that you will receive emails about upcoming events.

Coming soon to a school or computer screen near you…

Did you know that Dec. 9 – 16 is National Computer Science Education week?  I didn’t, either.

And how would one celebrate?

Great question!  This year there is an answer, geared to everyone aged 6 to 106, according to the promo.

There is a free program called Hour of Code, available anytime during that week.  It was designed for all schools, all age levels, all interest levels.  When you learn that it is sponsored by Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, LinkedIn, etc etc, and oh yes, the Boys and Girls Clubs, you might keep reading.  This program promises to provide not only an introduction to computer science but also a motivational presentation featuring Angry Birds and other familiar faces.  The future of jobs featuring programming continues to be bright, and I think the time is right to catch the attention of young people.

Read on.  Go to http://hourofcode.com to learn more.

This is important.  Make sure that your children’s teachers, scout troups, aftercare, sports programs, maybe even Sunday Schools, are planning to be involved.  It’s free.  It’s going to be talked about.

More later…