One happy camper

Walter Sims, 38, is something of an anomaly among his IT peers these days.

“I have good morale, and I love my job,” says Sims, who describes his title and role as “computer dude” at American Aircraft Products Inc., a 60-person manufacturer of aerospace structural components in Gardena, Calif.

“I’m the help desk, I install software, and I write programs that make people’s jobs easier, and they appreciate that,” says Sims. “I think the appreciation factor is important. A lot of time, the people don’t understand what I do, but they’re glad the e-mail works. Basically, I do everything having to do with IT.”

Sims moved to the Los Angeles area from Seattle, where he spent more than a year unsuccessfully looking for an IT position after the meltdown of his former dot-com employer. “There were legions of people like myself,” he says.

After two and a half years at American Aircraft, Sims says he “likes being a big fish in a small pond.”

No longer does he work 12- to 14-hour days as he did at the dot-com. He makes less money than he did in his former job, but he says he’s still paid well. He seems content with the trade-off.

“One of the things that dictates my morale is a healthy workplace and not being overwhelmed with unrealistic expectations,” he says. “My boss is a practical person, and it’s a positive work environment.

“All in all, it’s a pretty simple formula for happiness on the job,” he says.

Would you recommend this article?

Share

Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you think of this article!
We'd love to hear your opinion about this or any other story you read in our publication.


Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

Featured Download

Featured Articles

Cybersecurity in 2024: Priorities and challenges for Canadian organizations 

By Derek Manky As predictions for 2024 point to the continued expansion...

Survey shows generative AI is a top priority for Canadian corporate leaders.

Leaders are devoting significant budget to generative AI for 2024 Canadian corporate...

Related Tech News

Tech Jobs

Our experienced team of journalists and bloggers bring you engaging in-depth interviews, videos and content targeted to IT professionals and line-of-business executives.

Tech Companies Hiring Right Now