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Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe TACKLING THE SKILLS GAP THE SHORTAGE OF IT SPECIALISTS IN EUROPE PREPARED BY ANDREW BIBBY FOR UNI-E UROPA OCT 2 2000 WWW. ANDREWBIBBY .COM 1 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Author: Andrew Bibby, UK Publisher: Union Network International Av. Reverdil 8-10 CH - 1260 Nyon 2 Tel: +41 22 365 21 00 - Fax: +41 22 365 21 21 12-2000 / Ref. No 27 2 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Contents Introduction ...................................................................... 5 The skills shortage is a global problem ............................ 8 There is no one single 'IT job' ......................................... 10 The IDC Europe study ..................................................... 15 The Datamonitor study ................................................... 18 Causes of the skills gap .................................................. 19 Responses to the skills gap 1 : the demand side ........................................................ 21 2: the issue of migration ................................................ 24 3: age and gender issues ............................................... 27 4: the need for training ................................................... 29 Conclusion ..................................................................... 33 Footnotes ....................................................................... 35 3 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe 4 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe INTRODUCTION Europe faces a problem. Ambitious plans (such as those in the eEurope report adopted at the EU Lisbon summit in March this year) to enable our continent to benefit from the opportunities of the new economy could be jeopardised by a shortage of workers with the necessary IT skills. This is the 'Information Society skills gap'. According to the European Commission's recent report Strategies for Jobs in the Information Society, the skills shortage is being felt not only within the IT sector - in what it calls 'new Information Society occupations' - but outside the IT sector as well. "The vast majority of big European companies feel impeded by the lack of skills within their organisations," the report claims. "The skills shortage problem is even more serious at the small and medium business level," it adds.1 Strategies for Jobs quotes the European Information Technology Observatory 1999 report, which also concerned itself with the IT skills shortage. "Demand for IT skills is far outstripping the existing supply of IT professionals," it warned, suggesting that Europe had been slow to respond to the issue: "While the IT skills shortage has been evolving as a market problem for the last three years in many markets.. little has been done to develop a genuine solution. Only now, as the demand for programmers, systems analysts and computer engineers outstrips the market supply, both customer firms and IT suppliers are realising the formidable task of competing in a human resource constrained market."2 5 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe EITO's conclusions were based on a significant research project in seventeen European countries (the EU member states, Norway and Switzerland) undertaken by the International Data Corporation (IDC) for Microsoft, the findings of which were published in September 1998. IDC estimated that there were 510,000 unfilled jobs in the technology sector at the end of 1998, the shortfall having been created by a serious shortage in trained and skilled professionals. It then extrapolated forward this finding for the following five years to produce a figure of 1.6m unfilled vacancies by 2002: "The research anticipates that in-house IT departments in business will grow from 8.3 million personnel in 1997 to 12.2 million in 2002. While assuming current levels of investment in training are maintained, the available pool of trained personnel will rise at a modest 6% per annum. Even though IT buyers intend to use external service providers to handle some of their needs, IDC/Microsoft still estimate the shortfall in available skilled IT professionals to be as high as 1.6 million by the year 2002". 3 IDC's 1.6m figure for the forthcoming European IT skills shortage has been widely quoted (not least in the EITO and Strategy for Jobs reports). In fact, IDC has since updated its research, and now suggests that the IT shortfall could reach 1.7 million by 2003. According to its latest figures, demand for IT skills is expected to grow from 9.47m jobs in 1999 to 13.07m jobs in 2003; the supply of IT professionals will grow from 8.61m people to 11.33m people over the same period. In other words, as IDC's table below graphically demonstrates, the skills gap is set to get worse.4 6 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe IDC's research remains the most important quantitative attempt to analyse this issue, and we shall return to its findings again in this report. Nevertheless, three initial qualifications are in order. Firstly, we need to bear in mind that talk of an IT skills shortage is not new. As four academic writers have pointed out, the issue was first raised in the early days of the IT industry: "The problem of IT skills shortage was identified over 30 years ago when the embryonic computer industry realised that it had to educate its customers in how to use its products and that there were no teachers or trainers available with the skills to do so."5 The writers remark on the curious parallel between a United Kingdom government initiative to tackle the IT skills gap launched in November 1999 and the establishment of a Skills Shortage Committee in the UK in the early 7 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe 1980s. A second point to bear in mind is that headline figures such as those from IDC quoted above inevitably hide a more complex reality. We shall explore this point in some detail below. Finally, the IT skills gap is not a uniquely European phenomenon. Whilst the European Commission is right to be concerned about the effects of the shortage of IT professionals, this is perhaps one aspect of the new economy where Europe is not necessarily at a disadvantage to the United States. THE SKILLS SHORTAGE IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM The OECD's 1999 report The Economic and Social Impact of Electronic Commerce – Preliminary Findings and Research Agenda included a short review of the evidence for an IT skills shortage from around the world, using a number of sources. It suggested for example that some developing countries may soon experience a shortage of IT skills: "India has a work force of approximately 160,000 high-skilled software professionals (1996-7). Although it supplies graduates at a pace of about 55,000 a year, this may be insufficient to keep pace with a software industry that is growing at over 40 per cent a year. "In other countries, local IT development strategies can cre- 8 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe ate skill shortages… Malaysian universities are producing less than 6,000 IT engineers a year for an estimated annual demand of 10,000."6 However, as the OECD report pointed out, most focus to date has been on the situation in the United States where some have said that there is a 'critical shortage' of qualified IT personnel. The skills gap was the focus of a survey of medium-sized and large US companies carried out in 1997 by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), and a more extensive survey also by the ITAA carried out a year later. This second report concluded that there were about 346,000 unfilled IT jobs in the US at that time.7 A more thorough survey of the situation in the US is contained in the lengthy report The Digital Work Force, published by the US Department of Commerce's Office of Technology Policy in 2000. 8 This comes up with predictions not very different from those of IDC for Europe: "The number of core IT workers is projected to grow dramatically between 1996 and 2006. The Office of Technology Policy's analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' growth projections for this period shows that the number of core IT workers – computer scientists, computer engineers, systems analysts and computer programmers – will grow from 1.5 million in 1996 to 2.6 million in 2006, an increase of 1.1 million. In addition, another 244,000 workers will be needed to replace those exiting these professions. 9 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe "Thus, during this period, the United States will require more than 1.3 million new highly skilled IT workers in these occupations – an average of about 137,800 per year – to fill newly created jobs (1,134,000) and to replace workers who are leaving these fields (244,000)." The report points out that IT occupations have the fastest projected growth rates: computer scientists up by 118% over this period, computer engineers by 109% and systems analysts by 103%. By contrast , the growth rate for all occupations is only 14%.9 THERE IS NO ONE SINGLE 'IT JOB' In analysing these predictions, however, the Office of Technology Policy makes an important observation. It points out that the concept of an 'IT worker' is a very loose one, to some extent dependent on who you ask. If predictions of IT skills gaps are to be meaningful – either in the US and European contexts – it is clearly essential to ensure that we know exactly what we are talking about. We should also be aware that an overall shortage of IT workers does not mean that every worker with IT skills is in a seller's market. The skills gap can mask quite substantial overcapacity in some areas of IT. This is a point which Ulrich Klotz has made forcefully in his writings on the new economy: "For the layman it is nearly 10 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe impossible to comprehend the wide spectrum of different qualification profiles often covered by one and the same job title. The situation in software development provides an illustrative example: those who learned the 'tools' of the trade in the early days of computing (programming languages such as FORTRAN, COBOL or even Assembler) can nowadays hardly communicate with someone using today's tools such as Smalltalk, Java or XML… Similar statements apply to the depth of qualifications. People who take a course over several weeks to retrain as programmers refer to themselves as software developers just the same as information science graduates who have spent years learning the architecture and design of complex algorithms… This is not unlike lumping together gas station attendants and car designers because of their shared 'mastery' of the same type of vehicle."10 In other words, we can only make meaningful sense of predictions of an IT skills gap if we look much more closely at the exact nature of the jobs under consideration. One problem here is that official labour force statistics have not necessarily changed to reflect the new 'Information Society occupations' referred to in the European Commission's Strategies for Jobs. International comparison is also difficult, because of different classifications in Europe and the US. The OECD's 1999 e-commerce report has suggested that ICT-related occupations can be found in the following official occupational categories.11 11 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe For EU countries (ISCO 88) ICT-related occupations 213 Computing professionals 311 Physical and engineering science technicians 312 Computer associate professionals 313 Optical and electronic equipment operators For the US (US Standard Occupational Classification) ICT-related occupations 22126 Electrical and electronics engineers 25197 Computer engineers, scientists and systems analysts 35101 Engineering technicians 34028 Broadcast technicians 25109 Computer programmers 25111 Programmers, numerical, tool and process control 57100 Communications equipment operators 56100 Computer operators and peripheral equipment operators Information-related workers 55700 Information clerks 59900 Other clerical and administrative support work 57323 Mail clerks and messengers 53200 Records-processing occupations (This category includes brokerage clerks, correspondence clerks, file clerks, financial records processing occupations) Information-related workers 411 Secretaries and keyboard-operating clerks 412 Numerical clerks 413 Material-recording and transport clerks 414 Library, mail and related clerks 419 Other office clerks 421 Cashiers, tellers, and related clerks 341 Finance and sales associate professionals 342 Business services agents and trade brokers 343 Administrative associate professionals Commerce-related occupations 522 Shop, staff and market salespersons and demonstrators Commerce-related occupations 40000 Marketing and sales occupations It will be seen immediately that traditional classifications like these, based to a large extent on job titles, do not necessarily help us very much. But an exercise like this brings up another, broader, problem. Increasingly IT-based workers are to be found not only in the ICT industries themselves, but in other sectors – in banking and financial services, in retailing, in publishing, in manufacturing, even to a limited extent in agriculture. As Strategies for Jobs points out, "The real job potential due to the dynamics of the Information Society and its new challenges to existing jobs exceed the ICT- sector proper, as already more and more sectors of the economy 12 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe incorporate IT applications and services." One way of representing this is offered by the diagram above, which is taken from a 1999 report for the US Computing Research Association. As the authors Peter Freeman and William Aspray explain, "Each IT-related occupation is located at a single point on the graph. As one moves from left to right, the occupations require increasing amounts of IT knowledge. As one moves from bottom to top, the occupations require increasing amounts of domain knowledge (knowledge of business practice, industry practice, technical practice or other kinds of knowledge particular to an application domain). The diagonal line separates the IT-related occupations into two classes, depending on whether IT knowledge or domain knowledge is more important. If more than half the value provided by a worker involves his or her IT knowledge, then this person is considered to be an IT worker. If the person's occupation involves the use of information technology 13 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe but it adds less than half the added value to the work, then we regard the person as an IT-enabled worker."12 This seems a helpful approach to follow, not least because it prevents the anomaly of defining caretakers or office cleaners at IBM or Microsoft as IT workers! The authors then go on to look at ways of categorising those people identified as IT workers. Here they suggest an approach which, rather than looking at job titles, instead focuses on what people actually do. They suggest four categories: conceptualisers, developers, modifiers/extenders and supporters/tenders. They suggest that such a classification works reasonably well for all kinds of IT workers in all sectors, and offer some examples (see table below): Categorisation of IT jobs Conceptualisers: those who conceive of and sketch out the basic nature of a computer system artifact: Entrepreneur Product designer Research engineer Systems analyst Computer science researcher Requirements analyst System architect Developers: those who work on specifying, designing, constructing, and testing an information technology artifact: System designer Programmer Software engineer Tester Computer engineer Microprocessor designer Chip designer Modifiers/extenders: thos who modify or add on to an information technology artifact: Maintenance programmer Programmer Software engineer Computer engineer Database administrator Supporters/Tenders: those who deliver, install, operate, maintain or repair an information technology artifact: System consultant Customer support specialist Help desk specialist Hardware maintenance specialist Network installer Network administrator 14 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Different levels of educational preparation are appropriate for the different categories, the authors suggest. 'Conceptualisers', for example, are likely to have masters degrees and doctorates; by contrast, 'supporters/tenders' are more likely to have technical qualifications and may or may not have a first degree. We shall return to this point later. THE IDC EUROPE STUDY Having made this detour across the Atlantic, it is time to return to the key IDC research into the European IT skills shortage. The IDC authors also face the task of trying to categorise different types of IT worker. Their solution, however, is to focus on the type of technology which is being designed, implemented, supported or managed by IT workers. They distinguish five categories: ? Internetworking environments Work based on the 'plumbing' of the Internet, what is called by IDC 'internetworking technology'. IDC points out that the Internet, and the underlying Internet Protocol (IP), is becoming the de facto IT platform underpinning business processes. ? Technology Neutral Environments Work which integrates IT processes with more general business processes. Technology-neutral professionals are described by IDC as those who view IT processes and business processes in the same light. 15 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe ? Host-based Work focused around large servers ? Distributed Work focused around client/server infrastructures ? Applications Work centred on software applications Within the overall IT industry, IDC suggests that it is in the first two categories that major problems associated with skills shortages will be manifested by 2003. For the three remaining categories, the situation is rather different, with demand here growing at a relatively low rate. Demand for skills associated with traditional mainframe and large servers is hardly anticipated to grow at all, for example. (A reminder that these figures are for EU 15, plus Norway and Switzerland). Source: IDC 1998 Internetworking: demand % shortage Tech neutral: demand % shortage Host-based: demand % shortage Distributed: demand % shortage Applications: demand % shortage 655,593 14% 497,688 5% 451,806 3% 2,407,849 5% 4,758,645 4% 2000 974,006 23% 739,317 9% 453,137 3% 2,783,923 10% 5,470,203 12% 2003 1,747,174 33% 1,693,990 14% 479,869 3% 3,068,852 10% 6,081,452 10% 16 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe In other words, whilst numerically more workers will be required in the applications (software) and distributed (client/ server) areas, the largest skills gap will be found in the 'internetworking environment'. IDC comments: "Demand for skills centred around communications technology will be widespread. Smaller organisations will need to Internet-enable many of their selling processes in order to be considered as a supplier by larger companies."13 The IDC study also looks in detail at the likely IT skills gap in each of the seventeen European countries under review. It suggests that the size of the gap is likely to vary, in some cases quite considerably, between countries. Total projected IT skills shortage, 2003 Source: IDC Country Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland UK Total W Europe shortage 85,013 72,932 24,679 21,314 223,709 404,951 2,005 9,881 167,439 967 118,882 22,969 21,913 101,011 67,092 65,898 329,573 1.74m % 18% 13% 17% 13% 11% 15% 11% 14% 13% 9% 12% 13% 10% 13% 12% 14% 14% 13% 17 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe IDC concludes, "The widening skills shortage in Western Europe threatens to increase the costs of production due to higher salaries, deferred projects, lower productivity, an increase in outsourcing and the use of offshore resources to supplement local resources". 14 THE DATAMONITOR STUDY IDC's predictions form the basis of a further study, this time undertaken by Datamonitor, which attempts to quantify the economic impact of the IT skills gap. The study, published in 2000, focuses on three areas: the effect on GDP, tax revenues and wage revenues; the effect on small and mediumsized companies (SMEs); and the effect on e-commerce. Among its findings are the following: ? Western Europe is set to lose €380 bn from the IT skills gap over the next three years, resulting in reduced competitiveness in global markets ? Central and northern regions of western Europe will be more affected than the south ? In total, €100 bn less in wages will be paid over the next three years than would otherwise have been the case ? Governments, public sector organisations and the not-for-profit voluntary sector are most likely to be squeezed out in the search for IT staff 18 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe ? High-speed transformation of enterprises through ebusiness will result in redundancy of old skills and a bottleneck of new skills ? Net employment gains associated with new technologies will more than make up for labour losses ? Many SMEs will be priced out of the market for IT workers, depriving them of the backbone they need to take advantage of e-business solutions ? There is no 'magic bullet' solution to the IT skills gap 15 Datamonitor goes on to make a number of recommendations to help alleviate the skills shortage: "The answer lies in undertaking a wide range of initiatives, both large and small. Companies, universities and governments need to take steps to increase Western Europe's supply of adequately trained IT workers." CAUSES OF THE SKILLS GAP Before we look in more detail at possible responses to the skills shortage, however, it is worth considering briefly why the current situation has arisen – after all, if we have some analysis of the cause of the problem, it may be easier to identify the best ways forward. In one respect this question is easy to answer – clearly, as we move towards the Information Society and a new economy 19 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe based on digitisation and electronic communication, there will be a rapid increase in the demand for IT-based jobs. As the US Office of Technology Policy has put it, "The ubiquity of IT can be seen almost everywhere: in the shift of business's equipment investment into information technologies, in the unprecedented emergence of the web as a venue for commerce and communication, and in the proliferation of computers in businesses and homes to name a few. As a result, demand for highly-skilled IT workers leads all other occupations and is expected to continue in the years ahead."16 It goes on, however, to finesse this analysis: "The variety and complexity of software and hardware products and their applications, together with the unique requirements of each industry, have created 'spot' demand for workers with unique combinations of IT skills, experience and industry knowledge – expressed often by the employers as needing "the right person, with the right skill at the right time". .. Thus while there is a need to address the growing demand for highly-skilled IT workers, there is the additional challenge of meeting the unique demands of this niche labor market." The Office of Technology Policy position outlined here probably sums up the standard industry view, which effectively adopts a technological determinist position. UNI, however, has developed a somewhat different analysis. In the UNI-Europa response to the European Commission's eEurope report, it criticises the IT industry for being, at least in part, the author of its own difficulties: 20 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe "UNI-Europa maintains that it is the key companies in the ICT industry which were largely responsible for creating this skills shortage of which they now complain. In the first half of the 1990s, the ICT sector suffered a series of devastating restructuring programmes, which saw thousands of highly skilled ICT specialists made redundant or outsourced into quasi selfemployment. The experience of a generation of workers was treated with disdain as companies sought to cut their costs by employing younger, less experienced staff who were paid less (and frequently asked to work long hours). "If there is indeed today unfulfilled demand for highly qualified workers, part of the explanation could be because the industry failed to adopt a longer-term staffing strategy ten years ago, chasing short-term profits at the expense of long-term development."17 UNI goes on to point out that in a number of European countries, substantial numbers of IT specialists - especially those aged 50+ - are registered as unemployed. There needs to be more efforts taken to retain older employees in the workforce, UNI suggests. RESPONSES TO THE SKILLS GAP 1 : THE DEMAND SIDE By this stage, it should be apparent that, whilst there certainly appears to be a serious IT skills shortage in Europe, the background to the skills gap is more complicated than some people might suggest. Firstly, the skills gap is a global 21 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe phenomenon. Secondly, there are quite acute problems of identifying who is, and who is not, an IT worker, so that any statistics which are produced need to be interpreted quite carefully. Thirdly, overall figures for an IT skills gap hide some quite wide variations, with some IT-related fields experiencing much more acute labour shortages than others. Finally, the skills shortage is not necessarily simply an inevitable consequence of technological development. Assessing the possible responses to the IT skills shortage, therefore, means taking these factors into account and eschewing an overly simplistic approach. There are, of course, two sides to the skills shortage question – the demand side and the supply side. Most attention is normally focused on the latter – in other words, discussing how to increase the number of people with IT skills in the labour market. There are good reasons for this, not least given that much of Europe is experiencing unacceptably high levels of unemployment. Nevertheless, the demand side should not be forgotten. Ulrich Klotz suggests companies are effectively coping with the IT skills shortage by reducing their demand – or, put another way, are withdrawing from work which they would otherwise have taken on. This is holding back the overall development of the economy. "It is becoming increasingly common for companies to turn down orders – in some cases large orders – because they lack the required IT experts. In other words, if IT specialists could be found, unemployment could also be reduced in many other occupations and industries."18 22 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Companies can also reduce demand by outsourcing IT work offshore. The remarkable growth of the Indian software industry is the most notable example of this phenomenon. The industry has grown from a total turnover of $558m in 1993-4 to $3.82 bn in 1998-9 and an estimated $6 bn in 1999-2000. This represents a growth rate of over 50% a year over the last five or six years. 19 One reason for this growth is the fact that India offers a supply of trained software professionals, working for wages much lower than those in the US and western Europe. 1998 figures collected in India and reproduced by the OECD show just how marked these differentials can be20 : US (US$ p.a.) 25,000-35,000 32,500-39,000 36,000-55,000 39,000-50,000 46,000-57,500 54,000-67,500 India (US$ p.a.) 5,400-7,000 2,200-2,900 15,700-19,200 5,400-7,000 8,200-10,700 15,700-19,200 Help desk support technician Programmer Network administrator Programmer analyst Systems analyst Database administrator The issue of migration of work and the so-called 'death of geography' as a feature of the emerging information age has been widely discussed elsewhere and is beyond the scope of this report. Suffice it to say, however, that the relocation of jobs from high-wage to low-wage areas of the world clearly raises profound and disturbing issues for trade union organisations and members. 23 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe RESPONSES TO THE SKILLS GAP 2: THE ISSUE OF MIGRATION Turning from the demand to the supply side, one possible response to the IT skills gap in the western economies is effectively the mirror-image of the offshore outsourcing approach. This is to increase the numbers of skilled IT professionals in the home market by allowing suitably trained migrant workers to enter to find work. This is an approach which a number of western governments have been adopting in recent years. In the US, the issue focuses on the issuing of H-1B visas, the visas which allow skilled foreign workers to work in the United States for up to six years. Prior to 1998, the number of H-1B visas was capped at 65,000 workers a year. Before 1995, only about a quarter of these people were in IT-related fields. However, increasingly the IT sector has been making more use of the visas, and largely as a consequence the annual H-1B cap was reached in August in 1997 and in May in 1998. In 1999, it was agreed to increase the number of visas to 115,00, and plans are now in motion to increase this again next year to 195,000. The issue of H-1B visas has been controversial, however. The Office of Technology Policy report runs through the arguments on both sides. "The IT industry led a major effort to increase the H-1B visa 24 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe cap. They argued that: ? The IT industry needs more skilled foreign workers to help meet skill shortages ? An ability to find workers has limited growth in the IT industry, and other parts of the economy that need IT workers ? The IT industry needs an international workforce to meet the needs of international markets ? The IT industry needs to be able to attract the best and brightest workers from around the world, and ? The alternative to bringing foreign workers to the United States is to move work overseas. "Groups that represent US scientists, engineers, and other technical workers have opposed expansion of the H-1B program, arguing that: ? There are Americans who can do the work, but industry wants lower cost labor ? The availability of H-1B workers reduces the incentive for employers to hire older US unemployed and underemployed engineers or to actively recruit women and underrepresented minorities 25 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe ? H-1B workers cause wages in IT occupations to be lower than they would otherwise be, reducing the incentive for US residents to enter or stay in these occupations; thus immigration can create a self-perpetuating demand for more immigration ? The H-1B programme has been abused by firms, which have brought in foreign workers to work at less than the prevailing US wages"21 Something of a similar argument has been going on in Europe, where the issue of 'green cards' has attracted considerable popular interest, for example in Germany and Britain. Britain announced in September this year that it is relaxing its rules on work permits for foreign (non-EU) workers, as a deliberate policy to meet skills shortages in the country. 22 The UNI-Europa IBITS sector committee meeting, held in September 2000, opposed the use of migrant labour as the solution to the IT skills shortage. Whilst acknowledging that 'green cards' might be inevitable as an immediate and shortterm measure, UNI stressed that the following conditions should apply: ? Actual demand for non-EU IT professionals has to be proven and work permits must only be issued for qualifications not available on the domestic labour market ? Employers and governments must respect their obligation to provide education and training as the principle way to overcome the shortage of IT skills 26 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe ? Priority must be given to IT training measures for women, older employees, and the unemployed ? The same terms and conditions as those of the domestic market must apply for immigrants (ie there must be no downward pressure or 'social dumping') ? Employee representatives and trade unions must be involved in the procedure to grant work permits ? The migration of IT professionals must not lead to a brain drain in their countries of origin ? Immigrants must be given a future for themselves and their families in the host country 23 The challenge for UNI-Europa, at a time when right-wing xenophobia and anti-immigrant feeling is growing in Europe, is to ensure that this position is not misunderstood as support for a 'Fortress Europe' approach to the rest of the world. RESPONSES TO THE SKILLS GAP 3: AGE AND GENDER ISSUES As we saw above, UNI-Europa's response to the eEurope report includes a critique of the way in which older IT workers were driven out of the industry in the drastic restructuring processes of the 1990s. Many older workers with IT skills are either currently unemployed or are taking early retirement. 27 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe UNI-Europa strongly criticises this waste of skilled talent: "It is not acceptable for experienced, capable workers in their fifties, or their forties, or even (hard to believe, but sometimes true) in their thirties to be told that they are too old for the new jobs. This is wasteful not only in economic terms, but in human terms."24 One problem is that companies in the IT industry have been more inclined to recruit new workers with the required skills rather than to ensure that their current workers are adequately retrained with those skills. As one journalist has commented, "The vast majority of companies do little to train people to fill IT positions or reassign senior people – they treat filling IT jobs like buying PCs, looking to fill a specific spec sheet for the lowest price."25 Put another way, a worker with yesterday's IT skills is seen as redundant as yesterday's IT hardware – to be simply discarded. The picture may however no longer be quite as grim as this would suggest. Drawing on the experience in Germany, Ulrich Klotz suggests that the idea of a 'youth cult' in the IT industry may be something of a myth. He writes that: "Among IT specialists, the fastest growing age brackets are '35 to 49' and 'over 50'. Of course this could be merely a symptom of the shortage of new talent and/or a consequence of the increasing proportion of self-employment, but similar trends can be seen almost everywhere in industrial research and development centres. Everywhere it is evident that increasingly complex technology tasks call for ever-broader qualifications 28 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe and more and more knowledge based on experience."26 If there is an issue of age to consider, there is certainly also a gender issue. UNI-Europa points out that only around 20% of employees in the ICT sector are women, a lower proportion than in other parts of the world.27 The European Commission's Strategies for Jobs document accepts that there is a gender imbalance, and goes on to say that women need to be encouraged to enter the new Information Society professions. It is however short on concrete suggestions. Once again, UNI-Europa offers an analysis of why the current situation has arisen: "The ICT industry unfortunately does not always project an image attractive to younger women, particularly the prevailing 'long hours culture'. Pressure is often put on people either by management or their peers to work long hours in order to be seen to be productive and 'part of the team'. This discriminates against people with family responsibilities…"28 RESPONSES TO THE SKILLS GAP 4: THE NEED FOR TRAINING The idea of lifelong learning and training has strategic importance if Europe is successfully going to make its way forward into the Information Society. There are two challenges in ensuring an adequately IT-literate workforce. The first is that of ensuring that today's young people have the education and training they will need for work 29 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe in an information age. This means ensuring that appropriate skills are taught in schools and colleges, and that Europe's schoolchildren have adequate access to IT hardware and software and to the Internet. The second challenge is of particular relevance to this report: it is of ensuring at a time of rapid technological change that all members of the workforce have the opportunity to constantly update their skills. The European Commission's Strategies for Jobs recognises that both approaches will play their role in bridging the current IT skills gap "The strong demand for third level/university Information Society specialists currently outstrips the supply of suitably qualified persons. Universities need to forge new partnerships with industry to ensure that courses deliver the skills needed in industry… "A shorter-term approach to closing the skills gap is the training of non-Information Society graduates (short conversion courses) in Information Society subjects. "Other Information Society specialists (2nd level education) are also in short supply… School leavers, older workers and the unemployed could avail of many of these courses, particularly as the job uptake is high." Earlier in this report we looked at the US authors Peter Freeman and William Aspray's categorisation of IT workers into four groups (conceptualisers, developers, modifiers/extenders and supporters/tenders), based on the actual work per30 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe formed. Freeman and Aspray suggest that different levels of educational preparation are appropriate for the different categories. Adapting their work from the US to the European educational system, it may be possible to suggest that the typical educational preparation for IT jobs in each of their four categories is likely to be as follows. (Examples of each category were given earlier): High school Conceptualisers Developers Modifiers Supporters o o Higher technical education o o F First degree c c c c Masters degree F c c Doctorate F o o - Key: unlikely (-), occasional (o), common (c), frequent (F) 29 From this it is clear that an adequate response to the need to prepare young people for work in the Information Society will involve action at both secondary and tertiary education level. In fact, Strategies for Jobs acknowledges this, in the two formal recommendations it makes to member states30 : Recommendation Increase capacity and uptake in 3 rd level education, maintaining gender balance and matching industry requirements Promote IT courses at 2 nd level including the use of industry certified training schemes Timing End 2003 Indicators 1) Number of 3rd [level] Information Society course places 2) Proportion of women to men in Information Society education Number of 2 nd level training places From 2000 31 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Strategies for Jobs has rather less to say about the need to ensure that today's workers receive adequate retraining opportunities to cope with changes in technology and the changing nature of work. UNI-Europa has however made a number of detailed suggestions in its response to eEurope: ? Developing a European-wide training scheme for the ICT sector for skilling and re-skilling of employees, aimed in particular at providing funding to employers who may lack their own resources. ? Establishing a 'talent bank' – a multi-employer European-wide electronic clearing house to match skills no longer needed by one employer with skills needed elsewhere ? Expanding the pool of employees from non-traditional areas available to the ICT sector through skilling of unemployed people, women, older employees etc ? Creating a trans-European employer/trade union network to facilitate good practice in recruiting and retention of employees within the ICT sector ? Supporting research in order to identify future skill requirements and promote systems of skill certification and a pan-European ICT skill and qualification framework, such as the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) 31 32 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe CONCLUSION In summary, we can say that Europe is already facing the reality of a shortage of ICT professionals. IDC research suggests that the skills gap may grow to as much as 1.7m people by 2003. All the countries of western Europe are affected, though some to a greater extent than others. The shortage jeopardises the growth not only of the ICT sector but of the economy as a whole. The problem is not unique to Europe, however. There are a wide variety of jobs within the ICT sector, and the skills gap does not affect all areas of expertise and knowledge equally. This means that we must recognise the complexity of the problem and look beyond unduly simplistic answers. Training and re-training is at the heart of the way forward. Companies need to do more to ensure their existing staff have the opportunity of lifelong learning. Efforts must be made to encourage more women to take up jobs within the ICT sector. It may be appropriate to conclude with UNI-Europa's action points to combat the IT skills shortage. UNI identifies five points: ? The ICT industry has to make substantial efforts to change its image and the perception of work in ICT. The common view is still of insecure jobs, high workload, pressure and stress, long hours, a highly competitive environment, 33 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe and no chance of employment for women and older professionals; the industry has to implement improved retention policies and enable a better work/life balance ? Industry, social partners and public authorities (primarily the education sector) have to do more both to attract young people and women into ICT and to retain older employees; young people have to be encouraged to take up studies in information technology, software engineering, etc ? Training and re-training in ICT has to be provided to the unemployed and those working in industrial or service areas which will become obsolete through industrial change ? The implementation of life-long learning will be the key to the Information Society. The European Commission, in co-operation with the social partners and national public authorities, has to solve the problem of how to realise this generally accepted principle in terms of methods, time available and pay ? The general climate for entrepreneurship has to improve. There is still too much red tape in place and capital necessary for start-ups is too difficult to raise. This must be changed, since most of the new jobs are being created in new companies.32 34 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe FOOTNOTES Strategies for Jobs in the Information Society, European Commission DG Employment & Social Affairs, 2000 1 2 European Information Technology Observatory 1999 IDC/Microsoft research shows 1.6m critical IT jobs unfilled in Europe by 2002 – 12% of the total requirement, Press release, 1998 3 Europe's Growing IT Skills Crisis, IDC executive summary 2000 4 The IT Skills Shortage, Benita Gibbons, Paul Wilkin, John Wright, Xing Zhang, City University, London, 1999 5 The Economic and Social Impact of Electronic Commerce – Preliminary Findings and Research Agenda (annex 4.5: The 'skills shortage'), OECD, 1999 6 Quoted in The Economic and Social Impact of Electronic Commerce – Preliminary Findings and Research Agenda, OECD, 1999 7 The Digital Work Force, Building Infotech Skills at the Speed of Innovation, Office of Technology Policy, 2000 8 9 ibid New Economy, part IV, Facts on the IT labour market, Ulrich 10 35 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Klotz, IG Metall The Economic and Social Impact of Electronic Commerce – Preliminary Findings and Research Agenda,OECD, 1999 11 The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States, Peter Freeman and William Aspray, Computing Research Association, 1999 12 Europe's Growing IT Skills Crisis, IDC executive summary 2000 13 14 ibid The economic impact of an IT skills gap in Western Europe, Datamonitor, 2000 15 The Digital Work Force, Building Infotech Skills at the Speed of Innovation, Office of Technology Policy, 2000 16 People First in eEurope: a UNI-Europa response to eEurope: an Information Society for All, UNI, 2000 17 New Economy, part IV, Facts on the IT labour market, Ulrich Klotz, IG Metall 18 19 Information Technology Outlook 2000, OECD ibid 20 The Digital Work Force, Building Infotech Skills at the Speed of Innovation, Office of Technology Policy, 2000 21 36 Tackling the skills gap - The shortage of IT specialists in Europe Rules on entry for foreign workers to be relaxed, Robert Taylor and Jimmy Burns, Financial Times, 29.9.00 22 Employment in the European ICT sector and 'Green Cards', UNI-Europa statement, 2000 23 People First in eEurope: a UNI-Europa response to eEurope: an Information Society for All, UNI, 2000 24 Quoted in The Digital Work Force, Building Infotech Skills at the Speed of Innovation, Office of Technology Policy, 2000 25 New Economy, part IV, Facts on the IT labour market, Ulrich Klotz, IG Metall 26 People First in eEurope: a UNI-Europa response to eEurope: an Information Society for All, UNI, 2000 27 28 ibid Source: The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States, Peter Freeman and William Aspray, Computing Research Association, 1999 29 Strategies for Jobs in the Information Society, European Commission DG Employment & Social Affairs, 2000 30 People First in eEurope: a UNI-Europa response to eEurope: an Information Society for All, UNI, 2000 31 32 ibid 37
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Anyone need a ticket for Friday's sold out Afghan Whigs show at the Fonda? I have an extra floor ticket for sale... $50.50 (price paid for it after ticketmaster fees)
If you were on the fence about the Cat Power show tomorrow, her Oakland show might have been my all time worst concert, so just a heads up that you are potentially headed for total garbage.
*based upon tedious fact checking.
What made it the worst?
Glad I didn't go last night =)
5/6- Tommy Trash/Kill The Noise, Catalyst
5/7- Finch, Catalyst
5/14- Dillon Francis, Catalyst
5/16- Flume, Frost Ampitheatre
5/19- Little Dragon, Caralyst
5/20- Lana Del Ray, Shoreline
5/28-30- Bottlerock Festival, Napa
6/6- BFD, Shoreline
6/19- Purity Ring, Fox Theater
6/19- A-Trak, 1015 Folsom
7/9- Spor, 1015
7/14- Big Sean, Shoreline
7/24- Boys Noize, Mezzanine
8/6- Lindsey Stirling, Paso Robles
How's the sound at Shrine Expo? (re: Sonar tour)
Bon Iver played in the seated portion (The Shrine). The Shrine Expo Hall is the next to it and is shaped like an airplane hangar (that's what I think of when I go there...sort of like The Grove of Anaheim, but twice the size). This is where Portishead played and where HARD Halloween used to be. Sound should be fine.
i doubt anyone would stay home because of what someone says on a forum, but knowing that you have a more than likely chance of a shitty Cat Power show vs many (almost sure to be) excellent shows (Titus, Delta Spirit, Japandroids all nearby) then it could help someone who was on the fence about where to go.
7/31/15 - Melt Banana w/Torche @ Roxy // 8/22/15-8/23/15 - FYF Fest @ Exposition Park // 9/17/15 - Hum w/Mineral @ Regent //9/26/15 - Titus Andronicus @ Roxy
10/20/15 - Blur @ Hollywood Bowl // 11/12/15 - Desaparacidos @ Teragram Ballroom // 11/21/15 - Blind Guardian @ City National Grove of Anaheim
Jorge already explained that in much more detail
7/31/15 - Melt Banana w/Torche @ Roxy // 8/22/15-8/23/15 - FYF Fest @ Exposition Park // 9/17/15 - Hum w/Mineral @ Regent //9/26/15 - Titus Andronicus @ Roxy
10/20/15 - Blur @ Hollywood Bowl // 11/12/15 - Desaparacidos @ Teragram Ballroom // 11/21/15 - Blind Guardian @ City National Grove of Anaheim
If i've learned anything from the past two pages its that suprefan is a complete failure at this message board/concert reporting thing.
Thank god this is actually at Irving Plaza
Chuck D proudly presents the first annual HipHopGods Tour... The 12 date tour will feature Public Enemy, X-Clan, Monie Love, Schoolly D, Leaders Of The New School, Wise Intelligent from Poor Righteous Teachers, Son Of Bazerk & No Self Control, Awesome Dre, Davy DMX and DJ Johnny Juice holding it down as the official tour DJ.
The initial tour will be filmed for future documentary, and subsequent tours will follow in 2013. The 3 hour concert, hosted by Chuck D, will move like a 1960s James Brown revue or Dick Clark Star Caravan making the concert a true once in a lifetime event.
Thursday, November 28 - Washington DC - 9:30 Club
Saturday, November 29 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Friday, November 30 (Public Enemy only) - Philadelphia, PA - Liacouras Center
Sunday, December 2 - Boston, MA - Royale
Tuesday, December 4 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue Theatre
Wednesday, December 5 - Chicago, IL -House of Blues
Thursday, December 6 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Saturday, December 8 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Sunday, December 9 - Park City, Utah - TBA
Monday, December 10 - Aspen, Colorado - Belly Up
Wednesday, December 12 - San Diego, CA - 4th and B
Thursday, December 13 - Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia
Jorge is way better at this than supre thats for sure.
Swans @ Terminal West 03/28/15
Drive like Jehu @ The Glass House 04/08/15
Electric Wizard @ Slims 04/17/15
Acid Mother Temple @ BOTM 04/18/15
Faith No More @ the Warfield 04/20/15
John Zorn @ UCLA 05/02/15
Will Bulter @ Slims 05/26/15
Neutral Milk Hotel @ Pappy & Harriets 05/30/15
Mariah Carey @ Caesars palace 06/11/14
Here's some....
Pimps whores & welfare brats & their soulless supporters hav a president to destroy Americahttp://www.flavorwire.com/344307/ted...meltdown?all=1I cry tears of blood for The Last Best Place & the warriors who died for this tragedy
Amon Tobin
City Hall Denver, CO Amon Tobin
More artists TBA!
1st 100 early bird tickets at $35
Next 500 tickets are $40
To retain the power and intimacy of this event, capacity will be limited to 1600 people.
Early bird tickets are 4 per person max.
Mon, December 31, 2012 8:00 PM
Got my tixs for Amon. Going to see Trust tomorrow.
This Will Destroy You| A Place To Bury Strangers| His Name Is Alive| Barry Manilow| Coachella| U2| Aerosmith| Steely Dan/Elvis Costello| The Jesus and Mary Chain/A Place To Bury Strangers| The Jesus and Mary Chain/A Place To Bury Strangers| FYF| Erykah Badu/St Vincent| The Who| Chelsea Wolfe| AC/DC| Garbage| Blur| The Cult/Primal Scream
Mike, it was my third time seeing them (all this year btw). It was another fantastic show. I thought the sound was better than their echoplex show they did earlier this year. They still have the same set up with the fog machines + projectors shooting light from all different directions. The venue was about 60% full so there was space to move around which is nice. But it was one of those shows that reinforce how awesome their live shows are. They are not to missed live. It was also a Great way to celebrate election night since the result was announced so early. Here's a short clip i shot,
12/7 - DJ Sneak @ King King Club in Hollywood
(I'll be in town for this!)
7/30: The Chemical Brothers @ The Armory
7/31: Worker/Parasite @ Underground SF
8/7-8/9: Outside Lands Music Festival
8/8: Holly Herndon @ The Chapel
8/11: Screaming Females @ The Rickshaw Stop
8/14: John Roberts, Laurel Halo @ f8
8/20: Sales @ The Rickshaw Stop
8/22-23: FYF Fest
8/29: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard @ The Rickshaw Stop
No idea, I was going to come in here and ask the same thing.
7/30: The Chemical Brothers @ The Armory
7/31: Worker/Parasite @ Underground SF
8/7-8/9: Outside Lands Music Festival
8/8: Holly Herndon @ The Chapel
8/11: Screaming Females @ The Rickshaw Stop
8/14: John Roberts, Laurel Halo @ f8
8/20: Sales @ The Rickshaw Stop
8/22-23: FYF Fest
8/29: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard @ The Rickshaw Stop
Revelation Records
REV25 Chicago: 1st Announcement
January 4, 2013
Gorilla Biscuits
January 5, 2013
Gorilla Biscuits
Youth Of Today
January 6, 2013
Texas Is The Reason
Into Another
Sense Field
Popeye (from Farside)
More info to be announced soon.
All shows at the House Of Blues, Chicago, IL. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, November 9 at 10:00 CT, on houseofblues.com.
Woohoo I just got 2nd row tickets!!! Love him for doing this
11/17 St. George Theatre (Staten Island, NY) early/late show https://buy.louisck.net/tour-datesLouis C.K. is taking a break from his nationwide tour to headline two comedy shows held to raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief.
The events will take place on November 17 at the St. George Theatre, with other comedians expected to jump on board as well. A batch of 250 first-tier tickets will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, with 500 more selling for $90 and another 500 selling for $45. An additional 500 tickets will be given as gifts to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. The benefit will serve the Staten Island area. This news comes a week and a half after C.K. decided to postpone his planned New York show, which was supposed to happen on October 28, back until March 2. Though its a bummer that it was pushed back so far, C.K. said he wanted to delay it for the safety of those in the soon-to-be Hurricane-wracked city.

subset: commoncrawl


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$22,674 – $25,946 Invoice
17 / 23 MPG City/Hwy
Enter your information and a representative will contact you for this 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6 !
What's New
Montana SV6 customers have new engines to choose from in 2006. In addition to the standard 3500 3.5L V-6, a beefier 3.9L V-6, rated at 240 hp, is available on front-wheel-drive models. A Sport Package that includes the new engine plus an engine-oil cooler, 17-inch chrome alloy wheels, and sport badges is also new this year. The availability of second-row side-impact air bags has also been added to the options list.
The Montana SV6 was introduced in an effort to shake the soccer-mom image that's all too common with minivans. From the beginning it was intended that the Montana SV6, which was introduced as a 2005 model, would phase out the older-styled Montana van from the Pontiac line. That happened this year, as the former Montana ceased production. The newer Montana SV6, like its GM siblings-the Buick Terraza, Chevrolet Uplander, and Saturn Relay-was purposefully designed to resemble an SUV on the outside, while maintaining utilitarian minivan features. The SUV styling gives the Montana SV6 a longer hood than conventional minivans, which has its practical side in that it puts the engine farther forward. That makes it safer for occupants and provides unencumbered cabin space. On the other hand, the SV6 sits low to provide easy access, and it has the characteristic van-like sliding door. It comes with captain's chairs in the front two rows and a third-row bench to accommodate up to seven passengers.
The Montana SV6 is available in front- (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations. AWD models come with GM's exclusive on-demand Versatrak system. If one or both front wheels lose traction, more power is progressively transferred to the rear wheels. Versatrak can also transfer torque from side to side when necessary. FWD models offer StabiliTrak, GM's advanced electronic stability control system. The sophisticated system uses a variety of sensors to detect potential control problems and automatically responds by taking preventive measures to assist the driver.
The Competition
Crossover sport vans like the Pontiac Montana SV6 account for more than 25 percent of the 14 models comprising the Midsize Van segment. As a segment it grew in calendar year 2005, thanks largely to the infusion of five new models.
Despite a decrease in unit sales for the year, the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan retained its segment-leader status with 226,771 sales during the 2005 calendar year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report.SM Interestingly, its next three closest competitors all saw increased sales: Chrysler Town & Country (180,759), Honda Odyssey (174,275), and Toyota Sienna (161,380). Other models with sales greater than 40,000 during 2005 include the Ford Freestar, Chevrolet Uplander, Kia Sedona, and Nissan Quest. The Montana SV6 ranked ninth in the segment in 2005 with 23,439 unit sales.


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Egyptian weapon smugglers get life in prison with hard labor
A court in Egypt sentenced three Egyptians to life in jail with hard labor on Wednesday for smuggling in weapons from Sudan, court sources said.
Mahmud Abdel Sattar, 31, Eid Issa Khalil, 24, and Mahmud Ahmed Awwad, 21, were found guilty by a high state security court following a four-day trial, the sources said. A life sentence in Egypt is 25 years.
The court acquitted Mohamed Rahma, 28, who holds both Egyptian and Sudanese nationality, according to AFP.
The court's verdicts are not subject to the normal appeals process, and can only be annulled by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Meanwhile, police authorities are still searching for a Sudanese arms smuggler they claim is the gang's leader, though his identity was not disclosed. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)


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Windy and cooler this afternoonApril 4th, 2014 at 2:51 pm by Robb Ellis under Weather
Rain has moved out but windy conditions will continue through this evening as cooler air rushes into central Indiana.
A Wind Advisory remains in place for most of central Indiana until 8pm. Gusty winds, some over 35 to 45mph will diminish gradually throughout the evening.
Clouds will remain in place but should gradually clear overnight as temperatures drop to near freezing.


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We are all born with life flowing through us. Life experiences can be painful enough that we literally cut off our own life force in order to not feel the pain. But when we do that we also cut off the joy, the connection, the life energy itself. Usually reconnecting to our life force involves clearing the mind, body and soul of old energies, bringing mindfulness to energetic and psychological out-moded ways of being to choose flow over habitual stuckness, in order to re-connnect to ourselves and to spirit, to the divine for guidance, meaning, and joy. The goal is always to re-establish the life-flow.
This can be done with talk therapy, role-playing, strategy mapping, sound and movement, and mindfulness meditation. For the client who processes more through their body, Kate also offers shamanic healing services. Her style of therapy could be classified as eclectic; her training was in body-centered, mindfulness-based, psychodynamic psychotherapy.
She currently only takes clients for short term therapy (ten or fewer sessions) or occasional therapy (once a month or less often, or only during a crisis period).
- depression
- anxiety
- feeling stuck
- grief
- bereavement
- breaking up with a partner
- dyfunctional relationships
- parenting a gifted child
- career and job changes
- manifesting emotions physically
- relationship issues
- single stigma, aloneness, dating
- anger management
- self-esteem issues
- intuitive ability
- starting or growing a practice
- mentorship*
To book an appointment or ask any questions contact Kate.


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Re: Bwahaha
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Book your room at Cairns Luxury Apartments
Standard Apartment, 1 Bedroom, Garden ViewMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants)
Studio, Harbour ViewMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Standard Apartment, 2 Bedrooms, Harbour ViewMax Occupancy: 5 guests (up to 4 children, 4 infants)
Standard Apartment, 1 Bedroom, Harbour ViewMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants)
Standard Apartment, 3 Bedrooms, Harbour ViewMax Occupancy: 7 guests (up to 6 children, 6 infants)
Get an overview of this hotel4.5-star luxury apartment, walk to Esplanade Lagoon
Located in the heart of Cairns, this luxury apartment is within a 10-minute walk of Reef Hotel Casino and Esplanade Lagoon. Centenary Lakes Botanic Gardens is 2.9 mi (4.6 km) away.
Property Features
This smoke-free apartment features a marina, an outdoor pool, and a fitness center. WiFi in public areas is free. Other amenities include a sauna, a steam room, and self parking.
Room Amenities
All 30 individually decorated apartments feature WiFi and DVD players. For a bit of entertainment, LCD TVs come with digital channels, and guests can also appreciate conveniences like refrigerators and coffee makers.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to a marina, Cairns Luxury Apartments features an outdoor pool and a sauna. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. For a surcharge, a roundtrip airport shuttle (available 24 hours) is offered to guests. This luxury apartment also offers a fitness center, a steam room, and tour/ticket assistance. Parking is available onsite for a surcharge.
Cairns Luxury Apartments is a smoke-free property.
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Free WiFi
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Marina on site
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Number of floors - 12
- Offsite parking reservations required
- Outdoor pool
- Picnic area
- Sauna
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Smoke-free property
- Steam room
- Total number of rooms - 30
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Year Built 2007
Family Friendly Amenities
- DVD player
- Free Wi-Fi
- Microwave (on request)
- Outdoor pool
- Refrigerator
- Rollaway/extra beds available
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( 20 AUD per day )
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge), Offsite parking reservations required
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free toiletries
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Digital TV service
- DVD player
- Free local calls
- Furnished balcony
- Hair dryer
- In-room massage available
- In-room safe
- Individually decorated
- Iron/ironing board
- Microwave (on request)
- Phone
- Private bathroom
- Refrigerator
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Shower only
- WiFi (surcharge)
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the apartment include an outdoor pool, a sauna, a steam room, and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Skydiving nearby
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at 9 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is 10 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for AUD 35 per night.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
- Resort fee
Optional extras
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: AUD 20 per day (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: AUD 10 per night
- Late check-out fee: AUD 20
- Rollaway bed fee: AUD 35 per night
- Onsite credit card charges are subject to a surcharge
We should mention
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties. This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. A resort fee is included in the total price displayed.
National Rating
Official Australia STAR Rating provided by Star Ratings Australia
Star Ratings Australia assigns an official STAR Rating for accommodations in Australia. This Self Catering property is rated 4.5 stars.


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The mega merger between telecom giant AT&T and its smaller rival T-Mobile may mean big bucks for corporate America, but what about cell-phone-carrying Americans -- and, more importantly, their wallets?
AT&T announced Sunday that it would buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom AG in $39 billion deal that would make it the biggest cellphone company in the country. The news appeared to satisfy Wall Street, which saw stocks rally Monday morning.
Assuming the deal receives regulatory approval (which is not necessarily a foregone conclusion), AT&T said it would be able to bring a high-speed 4G connection to 95 percent of the U.S. population.
But analysts say that though the merger would expand nationwide 3G and 4G network coverage for cellphone users in the U.S., the reduced competition would mean fewer phone options and pricing plans over all.
While the two companies will have to work out some technical differences in their telecom marriage, analysts said that the combination of the two networks would likely provide a strong nationwide network.
"Merging the two networks means that you're going to have a nationwide 3G and 4G network that's really able to serve almost all Americans," said Sascha Segan, lead analyst for mobile at PCMag.com. Rural T-Mobile residents could benefit from AT&T's network, and city-dwellers (yes, even those with iPhones) could get a boost from T-Mobile, he said.
But in a blog post written today, Consumer Reports' Paul Reynolds said the two carriers' data networks are "literally on different wavelengths, which might pose compatibility problems." The smartphones for the different carriers run on different parts of the wireless spectrum, he pointed out.
An AT&T-T-Mobile deal also likely means the end of T-Mobile's lower prices and friendly service, analysts said.
In an ideal world, a merger combines the best of both companies, but Segan said, "Usually what happens is the larger carrier eats the smaller carrier."
While rates for AT&T customers may not go up, T-Mobile customers will either have to get used to paying more or look for service elsewhere, among smaller carriers like Metro PCS and Cricket, he said.
"The rates will probably normalize up to what AT&T's are now," Segan said.
The merger could also mean fewer phone options and, ultimately, less innovation. To save money, he said, it's likely that AT&T and T-Mobile will consolidate their phone options for consumers.
With fewer phones on the market, customers might find that it's harder to find discounts and rebates.
"Whenever there's less competition, there's less of an incentive to offer deals," Segan said.
But he and others emphasize that it will take a couple of years before these changes become reality for consumers.
AT&T said it will take about a year to close the deal, and then it could take another year to combine their systems.
"If there's any consensus yet, it's that the decision won't come quickly and, if it's an approval, it will likely come with conditions," said Consumer Reports' Reynolds said. "For one, the FCC, among the key regulatory bodies that will assess the deal, has already expressed concern about the state of the wireless market, opting last year to declare it not competitive."
The Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, said it is pushing federal regulators to look at the merger proposal carefully.


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Posted June 20, 2013
Evgenia Markova knows the frustration of being an immigrant to this country and unable to communicate her aches, pains, fears and questions to her healthcare providers because of a language barrier. Wanting a rewarding career that would help others in similar challenging circumstances and also provides financial support to her family, she enrolled in classes at Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC).
Markova, a Bulgarian, and 11 other students from Cuba, China, Rwanda, Ethiopia and a handful of other countries recently celebrated their graduation in a special ceremony at MHCC. The students completed the Nursing Assistant with Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) program that provides education and training in nursing as well as coursework in English.
Doanh Tran Caraballo, Neha Singh, Arnesh Singh, Elysee-Blandine Rugwiro, Maria Violet Molina, Evgenia "Janie" Markova, Lucelia Guerra Lebeque, Mileidys Garcia, Beka Chiro (and daughters) Yung "Iris" Chan and Luis Benitez Garcia. (click to enlarge)
Marc Goldberg, dean of Economic and Workforce Development, congratulated the graduates on their achievements. Julie Blaney, Nursing Assistant program director, affirmed that the graduates are fully trained as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) who are culturally sensitive to their patients' healthcare needs. A special guest at the ceremony was Mimi Maduro, with the Oregon Department of Community Colleges & Workforce Development (CCWD).
Cohorts of students study for two terms and then take the Oregon State Board of Nursing Certified Nursing Assistant exam. The college also teaches students how to find employment in the field.
"This model gives non-native speakers of English language support and additional time with the material," notes Steven Storla, coordinator of MHCC's Career Pathways program. "There is a growing need for bilingual personnel within the healthcare industry, and there's projected growth opportunity for nursing assistants."
For more information on the Nursing Assistant with VESL program, please visit www.mhcc.edu/navesl or contact Angelique Kauffman Rodriguez, 503-660-1444, firstname.lastname@example.com. For more information on the mainstream Nursing Assistant program, go to www.mhcc.edu/cna or call Workforce Training at 503-491-7235.
For more information, please contact the Office of College Advancement, 503-491-7204 or email@example.com.


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Check out the latest internship postings from Benefit Cosmetics.
On my last day of vacation I got blasted in the face with a volleyball. It didn't break my sunglasses, but it really hurt. My nose is still sore, but it only left a tiny red mark across the bridge of my nose. I wouldn't have minded a black eye, but I know some people care a bit more about how their faces look. They're more likely than I am to purchase products from Benefit Cosmetics, a company that got its start when twin sisters moved to San Francisco, CA and opened a beauty boutique. One of their first products, Benetint, was developed to help an exotic dancer "enhance her nipples." That's certainly one of the more interesting stories I've heard about how a company got its start.
For Your Benefit
Today Benefit has moved well past nipple makeup and today has "built a global cult following among models, makeup artists, drag queens, celebrities & rockstars." The company offers products for every imaginable beauty need. They stand out from competitors with "irreverent names, creative packagine, and a feel-good philosophy." The company isn't just about products though, they also have boutiques and brow bars in a few areas across the country (there's even one just down the street from me). If you like what Benefit Cosmetics is all about, take a look at their Careers page. Right now they're looking for a paid Strategic Marketing Intern.
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
- BenefitCosmetics.com
- Internships at Benefit Cosmetics
- About Benefit Cosmetics
- Benefit Cosmetics' Founders
- Benefit Cosmetics' FAQs
- Benefit Cosmetics' Blog
Do you use Benefit cosmetics?
Do I Know Anyone at Benefit Cosmetics? - Check LinkedIn | Check Facebook
See our post on jobs at Benefit Cosmetics on One Day, One Job.
The Most Recent Internships from Benefit Cosmetics
Want to try more searches? Check out our internship search engine.
Want to try more searches? Check out our internship search engine.
Internships in your inbox every morning.
Want to learn about more internships at exciting companies like Benefit Cosmetics? Sign up for our free daily e-mails. We'll help reinvigorate your internship search, and we'll never spam your or share your e-mail address.
"Your e-mails lifted the fat man off my neck who was putting my brain to sleep." - Adam F.


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Colleton County sheriff's deputies are investigating a shooting that happened late Sunday.
Authorities responded to 212 Cumberland St. off Green Pond Highway about 11:30 p.m. and found a male who had been shot in the leg. The man had walked up to a house asking for help after he was wounded, according to Chief Deputy Ted Stanfield.
The man, 26-year-old Maurice Lorenzo Jeffcoat, told deputies he had been robbed, authorities said.
Jeffcoat told deputies he was walking down Windwood Street and stopped a black Honda sedan to ask for a ride to the store. The victim stated that the driver agreed, and when he pulled out his wallet to give the driver gas money, the driver took his wallet and told him to get out of the car, authorities said.
Jeffcoat then stated that the driver produced a handgun and shot him in the leg, Stanfield said.
The victim told deputies he did not know the driver but described him as black male with short hair, no facial hair, approximately 190 lbs and around 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall.
Jeffcoat was taken to Colleton Medical Center in stable condition, authorities said.
It's the fourth area shooting this month. An 18-year-old woman was shot on Sept. 10; a 16-year-old male was shot in the upper leg on Sept. 15 and an adult male was shot in the head on Sept. 17.
Anyone who may have more information about this shooting and robbery is asked to contact the Colleton County Sheriff's Office at 843-549-2211 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
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Rosacea often begins with easy blushing and flushing of the facial skin. These symptoms may come and go at first. Eventually, redness persists around the nose, extending to the rest of the face. As rosacea progresses, additional facial symptoms such as burning, stinging, pimples, swelling, dry skin, enlarged blood vessels, and eye involvement may occur. These combinations of symptoms fall into the following four subtypes:
- Subtype 1: Facial Redness (Erythematotelangietatic rosacea). Flushing and/or continuous facial redness occurs. Blood vessels are visible, especially around the nose.
- Subtype 2: Bumps and pimples (Papulopustular rosacea). Pimples occur, and puslike lesions may be present, along with the facial redness. You may feel burning and stinging, and blood vessels on your face may be enlarged. This stage of rosacea is also known as acne rosacea.
- Subtype 3: Enlargement of the nose (Phymatous rosacea). Your skin begins to thicken and develops an irregular texture. This thickening is most evident on the nose and can also occur on the ears, chin, cheeks, and forehead. You may have enlarged skin pores in addition to the large blood vessels.
- Subtype 4: Eye irritation (Ocular rosacea). One or both eyes are affected in this subtype. They may be bloodshot, teary, itchy, dry, burning, or stinging, and you may have blurred or decreased vision. It's common to feel as though you have a foreign body in the eye. This is a serious eye condition; you may need to see an ophthalmologist.
Symptoms of the first three subtypes may also be present on the neck, chest, ears, and scalp. Your health care provider can evaluate the subtype of rosacea you have. He or she will prescribe the treatment based on the subtype and additional information provided during an examination.


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Enjoy the historic property and our unique location in Downtown Hampton. This Chesapeake Bay location is yours to explore! Perfect retreat for celebrations and couple's getaways. Wedding Ministers on site. Food, service, ambiance - exceptional!
Find a Hampton, Virginia bed and breakfast for your romantic weekend getaway. Intimate b & bs are cozy, romantic accommodations that are perfect for a mini-vacation, honeymoon, or wedding anniversary celebration. You will love the unique charm of our Hampton, Virginia inns. Many guesthouses include complimentary breakfasts and unbeatable hospitality. Browse our bed & breakfasts and plan your Hampton, Virginia romantic getaway today!


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Quotes & Info
|COH > SEC Filings for COH > Form 8-K on 2-Jul-2014
|All Recent SEC Filings
Change in Directors or Principal Officers, Financial Statements and Exhibits
On June 30, 2014, Coach, Inc. ("Coach" or the "Company") entered into an amendment (the "Amendment") to its employment agreement with Executive Chairman Lew Frankfort (the "Employment Agreement"). Pursuant to the Amendment, beginning July 1, 2014 Mr. Frankfort's service as the Company's Executive Chairman shall be on a part-time basis, with a base salary of $500,000 per annum; Mr. Frankfort will not be eligible for bonus or equity compensation. The amendment extends the term of the Employment Agreement through Coach's 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, currently planned to be held on November 6, 2014.
Mr. Frankfort shall continue reporting to the Company's Board in his role, with such responsibilities, duties and authority as are customary for such role. The amendment also provides that the changes described above, and any related organizational changes, are voluntary and shall not on any way constitute or imply a termination without Cause or a Good Reason (as such terms are defined in the Employment Agreement) for Mr. Frankfort's resignation.
The foregoing does not constitute a complete summary of the terms of the Amendment, and reference is made to the complete text of the Amendment, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated by reference herein.
(d) Exhibits.
10.1 Amendment to Employment Agreement, dated June 30, 2014, between Coach and Lew Frankfort


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- ITV Report
- ITV Report
Police issue image of burglary suspect
Live updates
Most burgled Midlands postcodes named
Two Midlands postcodes have been named in a list of the top 20 UK burglary hotspots.
MoneySupermarket.com have published the figures, which have come from 3.1 million home insurance quotes submitted to their website.
B73, which covers Boldmere, New Oscott and Wylde Green in Birmingham is the most burgled postcode in the Midlands, with 29 burglaries per 1000 people.
It is also the eleventh most burgled postcode in the whole of the UK.
B24, which covers Erdington and Tyburn in Birmingham, also made it onto the top 20 UK list, coming 19th, with 27 burglaries per 1000 people.
- ITV Report
- National
The 20 most burgled postcodes in Britain
The top 20 burglary hotspots in the UK have been revealed, with part of Manchester the worst and 12 London postcodes in the list.Read the full story ›
Coventry Police post video of raid to arrest burglary boy
Coventry Police have posted a video showing officers taking part in a dawn raid in Wood End this morning that saw a man arrested on suspicion of plotting a heist on an electronics warehouse.
A boy was also arrested over burglary.
Police looking for information as puppy is stolen
#Police news: Puppy Stolen In Pershore Burglary http://t.co/Qpvfr30TaA
Away for Christmas? Tips on keeping your home secure
Cambridgeshire Police have provided tips on ways to make sure your Christmas holiday doesn't end in disaster:
Make the house look 'lived in'. Leave lights on a timer, especially in the hallway, and perhaps a radio too.
Ask a neighbour to keep an eye on the house. They could open and close curtains, and perhaps park their car in the drive.
If bins are due to be collected ask a neighbour to put them out and collect them again.
Ask for post to be fully pushed through the letterbox.
If the Christmas tree is visible through the window, make sure those lights are also on a timer.
Make sure presents and valuables are out of site.
Put heating on a timer so steam comes out of the flue. This can also prevent pipes bursting.
Third man charged over Melton Mowbray burglary
A third man has been charged in connection with a burglary in Leicestershire in which two people were shot by the householder.
Two men Joshua O'Gorman and Daniel Mansell were shot by homeowner Andy Ferrie with a legally-owned shot gun in September as they broke into the home in Melton Mowbray.
Mansell and O'Gorman were each jailed for four years at Leicester Crown Court after pleading guilty.
Police say a third man aged 31 has now been charged in connection with the burglary.
"The 31-year-old man will be appearing at Loughborough Magistrates' Court on January 9, 2013.
"A 23-year-old man remains on police bail pending further enquiries whilst a second arrested 31-year-old man has been released with no further action."
O'Gorman was shot in the face and Mansell was hit in his right hand during the burglary.
No legal action was taken against Mr and Mrs Ferrie.
Full report: Former burglar works with police
An ex-burglar, who was released from prison in August after being sentenced to 15 months for his involvement in 33 burglaries targeted at students is now working with police to help students stay safe.
Police: Film featuring ex-burglar is highly impactive
West Midlands Police say the film they have made featuring an ex-burglar aimed at making students safer is "highly impactive".
Chris, a former burglar, who targeted students, was released from prison in August after being sentenced to 15 months for his involvement in 33 burglaries.
He's now working with the police to help keep students safe.
Together we wanted to get students thinking about how to keep their homes and belongings safe. The film is highly impactive.
Ex-burglar takes part in video to help students stay safe
A former burglar has taken part in a video with West Midlands Police to help keep students safe.
The film is part of 'Letters of the Law', an initiative giving the public an insight into wider police work.
The ex-burglar, Chris, was released from prison in August having been sentenced to 15 months for his role in 33 burglaries in Selly Oak, an area where lots of students live in rented accommodation.
Chris openly admits that he never once thought of his victims.
Video courtesy of West Midlands Police via YouTube.
Former burglar helps police tackle crime
A former burglar has joined forces with West Midlands Police to help keep students safe. In a hard hitting film, he speaks about his past offending and why he deliberately targeted student homes. It will be shown at local universities.
It is part of the force's effort to drive down burglary and will be shown at universities in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.


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I have read the entire DT series (obsessed with it actually). I am looking to buy Robin Furth's combined concordance before the release of Wind Through the Key Hole comes out. I only want it on kindle (or any electronic version for that matter). However, every time I click on the link on Amazon to buy it it routes me to the Volume I.
My question is, is the combined concordance not an ebook? Are they making me buy both editions? Or is it ONLY Volume 1 that is on kindle?
Any answers would be GREATLY appreciated.
Long days and pleasant nights,
Lisa-constant reader


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- Filed Under
The annual release of the Social Security Trustees Report is the least understood and most widely manipulated tool used in the effort to cut Social Security under the guise of fiscal discipline. This strategy ignores critical facts provided by the 2012 Trustees report, including:
? The trust fund solvency date for Social Security has seen fluctuations many times in recent decades, from a depletion date of 2048 in the 1988 report to 2029 in the 1994 and 1997 reports. This year's report is well within that range.
? Social Security will be able to pay full benefits until 2033. After that, there will be sufficient revenue to pay about 75 percent of benefits.
? There is $2.7 trillion in the Social Security Trust Fund, which is $69 billion more than last year, and it will continue to grow until 2020.
There is no Social Security crisis. We don't have to destroy Social Security to save it. We don't have to turn it over to Wall Street, raise the retirement age or adopt a cost-of-living adjustment that guarantees benefits won't keep up with inflation, leaving our oldest seniors vulnerable.
We need to agree on a modest and manageable set of reforms to address Social Security's modest long-range funding gap. However, reforms touted as a "grand bargain" but designed to cut middle-class benefits in exchange for tax cuts is a "bargain" our nation cannot afford.
Most Americans support lifting the payroll tax cap so more people contribute fully to Social Security. In the past, the tax cap has been at a level that covered about 90 percent of all earnings, but because of growing income inequality, only about 83 percent of earnings are subject to the Social Security payroll tax. That's simply not fair.
Lifting the cap strengthens Social Security without cutting benefits. It's a common-sense step that keeps the focus on protecting the middle class while ensuring long-term solvency for Social Security. Maybe that's why so many fiscal conservatives oppose it.


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Welcome to Southampton Computer Services
The home of low cost computer repairs and computer servicing in and around Southampton.
Our goal is to provide our customers with a friendly, professional service at a reasonable price.
Whether you are a home user or a small business we can help resolve your computer problems. Our services include Virus removal, Adware removal, Spyware removal, Broadband set up, Computer Upgrades, Laptop repairs, Network management, Web design and management.
We sell laptops and new computers. Our custom built PCs are made using only the finest components. We provide systems that can endure disk problems and avoid data loss. Our gaming rigs will give you the highest frame rates possible. Our new computer systems come with only the programs you want installed. We want your machine to work like a dream so we don't fill it with programs that you'll never use!
We specialise in data recovery. We can rescue data from floppy disks, memory sticks, cd, dvd and hard disk drives. You might think that it's lost forever, let us tell you for sure. We've saved many dissertations for students in Southampton. We should be your first choice for data recovery in Southampton.
We can transfer your iTunes and photos from your old hard drive to your new machine. Those years of irreplaceable family and holiday photos might not be lost, give us a call and let us be the judge.
We don't discriminate, we fix computers and laptops of all makes. Advent, Compaq, Dell, Evesham, HP, Packard Bell to name but a few.
We provide the following services?
- Virus Removal.
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Business Users:
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We can put together a package that will suit your needs. Click here for a breakdown of our business services.
We have more than fifteen years experience in the IT industry. We provide a specialist computer repair service. We don't just solve the problem and give it back. We delve deep to root out all infections plaguing your computer system. We love to get a machine completely cleaned and free of infection. Our skills range from repairing computer problems to Web Design and Computer Programming. So we are sure that we can provide the service you are looking for. We understand that business and home users have different needs when it comes to computers.
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Spyware infections differ from viral infections very slightly. Computer viruses replicate themselves and attempt to send themselves to other computers. The virus normally achieves its objective by attaching itself to an email which is send to multiple recipients. Spyware does not attempt to replicate itself and as such is not classed as a virus. Anti-virus software does not target spyware so alternative methods of removal are required. The problem is that a spyware infestation can be as destructive and as difficult to remove as a computer virus. Spyware programs are incredibly clever and exploit every known method to avoid removal. We have the tools and expertise required to clean your machine and return it to a state where it can be used successfully. We will also make sure your machine has the necessary protection required to shield it from further infections.
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Pants for even the most difficult body types to shop for
Finding the right pants and jeans can be frustrating if your body type is difficult to shop for. Not everyone is built with a long and lean silhouette, a fact that seems to be lost on clothing designers. Here are a couple of flattering pant styles you can try if you're petite or full-figured:
For a full figure: non stretch women flare jeans
Shopping for jeans can be tricky as a full-figured woman, especially when it seems like your only options are stretch denim. Stretch denim can be a hassle because it stretches out by the end of the day, so you have to purchase them a size down in order to make sure they'll still be fitted for future wears. Not everyone wants the hassle of squeezing into a tiny pair of just-washed stretch denim skinnies first thing in the morning. For a great alternative, try wearing non-stretch flare jeans, which have a little more structure and are perfect if you feel self conscious wearing jeans that are too clingy and fitted. Flares are flattering for a fuller figure because they elongate your legs and add balance to your thighs.
For a petite figure: crops for petites
If you're petite, finding pants that are the right length can be a challenge. This is especially true when you're on the lookout for cropped pants. Regular cropped pants end up looking oddly proportioned on petite figures. The end result is that your pants are so long that they wear you, and the cropped style is completely lost. Try crops for petites instead, which will provide just the right fit you need. Cropped pants are perfect for warmer spring weather and lend cool, casual style. Take advantage of their length and show off your favorite pair of sandals!
Give these pant styles a try, and don't forget to let us know how they work out for you!
Written by Lizzy Jude