Networking

I've started Data & Networked Communications this semester and so far so good. Its a very interesting subject and one I want to get to grips with, as it is not only a subject I want to learn about, it's also a big employer!!! Although I've missed the dot.com boom now by about ten years (I was always slow to catch on!!), there is still a lot of work out there, especially in the south of Ireland. I v'e read in some papers that there is going to be a shortage in I.T. people in a few years. So if all goes to plan, I'll be just qualified when the shortage comes!!....LOL.
I'm currently employed in the chemical industry, but if current industrial trends remain the same, (I have seen nothing yet that will change my mind), nearly all major industry is moving out east to countries like China, Poland and the emerging eastern bloc countries. Lower wages, costs and I'm afraid to say less stringent laws on the environment, all have their attraction to the big industrial players. Maybe someone can enlighten me as to why we, as an European community are letting this happen. If there is no jobs because there's no industry, there's no money, so how you going to sell all the products made in those factories in the east? Please someone tell me. That's why I am now doing a honors degree in Electronics and Computing, cause I don't have much faith in my current employer being a resident of our green Island much longer. (OK enough ranting!)
It's not all doom and gloom though, as I've been interested in computing and computer gaming for a very long time now, so this course will let me get into the, "workings", of networking and more especially the internet. I've sort of skimmed through the course and what I have read of it seems to compliment what I have learnt on other subjects so far, and sort of cements together the other topics, ie. "embedded systems, c programming, visual basic, data bases, and all the other good stuff...LOL". So that's enough for now.