Francisco Alvarado, Senior Programmer/Analyst

People person

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"I like people. I like to talk to people and interact with people. And this a great way of doing it."

Team work

I'm part of a larger team that works to maintain Granny's competitive edge.

Key business users provide feedback to help us make sure that our department's solutions will make a difference.

It's not just about technology; it's about understanding and improving the business processes that help Granny's grow.

 

Where I work

Granny's Poultry is the only turkey processor in Manitoba and is one of only two chicken processors in the province. It's also the largest, most advanced poultry processor in the region.

We're one of the most widely recognized brand names in both the Manitoban and Canadian retail markets.

Granny's uses Manitoba's advantages of low cost livestock, central location and great transportation to ship all over North America and around the world. Over 400 people work here and there are about 60 computers, or "nodes" in the company.

New products

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(Sound of chicks peeping)

Long try out

I've been full time at Granny's Poultry now for several years but I was able to learn what kind of place Granny's was before I became a staff member here.

I used to work as a consultant and Granny's was one of my customers, so I've been involved with Granny's for about 11 years altogether.

Motorcycle

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"I love motorcycles. I have a sport bike and my kids tell me that it's time for me to get something more serious. But that's my toy."

Life in Manitoba

I like the fact that there are four seasons. I never lived through that back in my country.

People here ask me why I complain about the heat when I come from a warm country. But I used to complain about the heat back home as well. I kind of like it cool. Not minus 30 though!

I feel safe here. I can go for a walk with my family and not feel threatened.

Work and family

For a number of years, I worked as a consultant. I had to travel a lot, often leaving Monday (sometimes Sunday), and coming back Friday. It was tiring and I didn't see a lot of my family.

I'm a family man, so I decided it was time for a change, to take a job with one company. That company was Granny's and so here I am.

Early start

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"Today my day started at 5 am. I got a phone call from our plant that something wasn't working.

"So I had to get up and start my laptop and connect to the phone line and deal with it.

"And it's just part of the job. But that doesn't happen every day."

Technology

I work on an IBM AS/400 which is a very popular "mid-range" enterprise computer used by lots of small to medium-sized companies.

The AS/400 can handle older "legacy" programs AND the new cutting-edge e-business applications and runs email with Lotus Domino/Notes. This makes it easier for companies to innovate without risking their existing business.

EDI?

EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange and what that means for the company is less paperwork.

Granny's EDI system speeds up transactions and reduces the need for paper invoices and statements by having servers exchange the data directly.

I installed the system a few years ago when I was on the consulting side of things. Another of our programmer/analysts takes care of it now.

Things I'm proud of

There are a few things I've worked on here that I'm proud of. One thing is our AS/400 Test Server. We develop everything in the test environment now before moving it to the production box. It's important because we don't run the risk of causing delays in operations.

Another piece is the Electronic Data Interchange which saves a lot of time and trouble for the company.

Then there's our Scheduling Project which was phased in over time because of the size of the changes. It's showing good results and the staff here are happy with it.

Important skill

I think the most important thing is being able to listen to what the user has to say so you understand what their problem is, or what they need. I think listening is 90 percent of the solution.

If you listen to them you can form your own conclusions and then prepare a way to deal with it.

Insourcing is better

IT departments are service bureaus for companies, helping them with their business. It's a very important part of any operation.

Granny's didn't have an IT department until a few years ago. Everything was being out-sourced to consultants.

Now it's less expensive, we have more control and we can plan better and budget for the resources we need.

Stress

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"Some people ask me the question that, if things are not going well and something fails, or people say that things are not going that well today, and I say well that's part of the job.

"There's always stress, like, everywhere you'll find it. But it's just part of the job. Try to deal with it the best way you can."

Big vs. Small

In a small company you do a lot of things, therefore I think you learn more. It all depends on who else is working there too. If someone takes you under their wing it's easier.

In bigger companies it depends on the way the way they develop you, but sometimes you get lost. There are too many people.

A bigger company has more resources and you can probably get more training, but my preference is for a small place with lots of hands-on work.

College vs. University

College gives you more practical knowledge. If you want to create compilers and that kind of thing, then go for the university computer science degree.

If you want to work mostly in business applications and you don't want to spend 4 or 5 years doing your school, then look at college.

Consultant vs. Staff

Whether you prefer work as a consultant rather than as a member of staff all depends on the individual I guess.

If you like to travel, or you get bored doing the same thing or working with the same people, being a consultant is a great opportunity. It's also a way to learn about different types of businesses.

But for someone who has a family and prefers a more stable kink of lifestyle, I wouldn't recommend it. But different people like different things.

Experience

Having been a consultant and seen different types of businesses has given me a bit of insight in trying to look for the problem or come up with a solution to a problem. I think that's pretty important.

RRC Network

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"A little while after I came to Winnipeg, I signed up for courses at Red River with the idea of polishing my English skills and secondly to try to network with people.

"I was taking my second class when I got a job, so I think that was a good idea. I met good instructors and other people that were trying to get ahead as well. So it worked."

Development

It's very useful to keep in touch with other people who do the same type of job as you do. For instance I belong to the Manitoba Mid-Range Users Group and we help each other with different problems and share solutions.

It's always a good idea to network with people whichever way you can.

 

Custom work

For the Scheduling Project, Granny's could have purchased a large Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) package, but we're custom designing and writing one because we didn't see anything that fit our needs.

If we got a package we would be spending a lot of time and money customizing it. Later on, we'll probably buy a package for things like Financials and Human Resources that are more standardized.

Advice

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"Work on your business knowledge and also on your people skills. Knowing how to program in a particular language won't take people anywhere by itself.

"That, plus people skills and business knowledge, that will take people places."

Big project

We're going to integrate our systems from end to end, from the hatchery all the way to the customer.

Right now we have systems that don't always talk to each other. A department might be looking for information that's in a different system or they might be duplicating the same information.

We're making a central repository so everyone will have instant access and the information will be secure.

Job Market Info

Job Market Info

The links below take you to federal and regional government information on employment, education, salary ranges and long range prospects for this career.

The official titles for Francisco's occupation are 'Computer Systems Analyst', NOC* code 2171 and 'Computer Programmer', NOC* code 2174.

Manitoba Job Futures
Computer Systems Analyst
Computer Programmer

Manitoba Labour Market Information
Computer Systems Analyst
Computer Programmer

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Computer Systems Analyst
Computer Programmer

*Each occupation has an official name and unique number called the 'National Occupation Classification' code or 'NOC'.

Education

Education

Not assessed for Useful High School Subjects in Job Futures.ca

Red River College
Full Time Programs
then click on Computer Analyst Program (CA/P)

University of Manitoba
Computer Science Department

Collège Saint Boniface
Informatique

Brandon University
Computer Science

University College of the North - The Pas/Thompson
All Programs (PDF)
Computer Programmer/Analyst - page 29

Industry Association

Industry Association

From french fry factories to fish markets; from fresh herbs to food-based pharmaceuticals, the Manitoba Food Processors Association (MFPA) exists to support and promote Manitoba's food industry to the world.

The MFPA gives Manitoba's food producers a powerful voice in the global marketplace and ensures continuous health for our province's food industry, through ongoing training initiatives,networking,industry publications and sales promotions under the "Manitoba Made logo".

Related Careers

Related Careers

Links to information on related careers from various government web sites:

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Professional Associations

Professional Associations

The Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)
- information, networking and education for IT professionals

Experts Exchange
- networking site for IT professionals

Information Systems Audit and Control Association - Winnipeg Chapter
- provides education and professional development for IS audit and control communities

Smart Partners (formerly Smart Winnipeg)
- works to create technically enabled communities

Canadian Information Processing Society
- for Information Technology professionals

Institute for Information Technology
- government institute that focuses on information technology research and development

Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology
- support to women in science and technology

Wired Women
- offers support to women in technology