Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
of all programmer trainees would leave within a year to pursue more
lucrative opportunities.
91
And since the cost of training or recruiting a
new programmer was estimated at almost an entire year's salary, such
high levels of turnover were expensive.
92
Many employers were thus
extremely secretive about their training and recruitment practices; some
even refused to allow their computer personnel to attend professional
conferences because of the rampant headhunting that occurred at such
gatherings.
93
Because of the low salaries that it paid relative to the indus-
try, the U.S. government had a particular problem retaining skilled
employees, and so in 1963, Congress passed the Vocational Education
Act, which made permanent the provisions of Title VIII of the National
Defense Education Act of 1959 for training highly skilled technicians.
By 1966, the act had paid for the training of thirty-three thousand com-
puter personnel—requiring in exchange only that they work for a certain
time in government agencies.
94
In numerous cases, the aptitude tests that many corporations hoped
would alleviate their personnel problems had entirely the opposite effect.
Whatever small amount of predictive validity the tests had was soon
compromised by applicants who cheated or took them multiple times.
Since many employers relied on the same basic suite of tests, would-be
programmers simply applied for positions at less-desirable fi rms, mas-
tered the aptitude tests and application process, and then transferred
their newfound testing skills to the companies they were truly interested
in. Taking the same test repeatedly virtually assured top scores.
95
Copies
of IBM PAT were also stolen and placed in fraternity fi les.
96
By the late
1960s it appeared that all of the major aptitude tests had been thor-
oughly compromised. One widely circulated topic contained versions of
the IBM, UNIVAC, and NCR exams. Updated versions were published
almost annually.
97
Paradoxically, even as the value of the aptitude tests diminished, their
use began to increase. All of the major hardware vendors developed their
own versions, such as the National Cash Register Programmer Aptitude
Test and the Burroughs Corporation Computer Programmer Aptitude
Battery.
98
Aptitude testing became the “Hail Mary pass” of the computer
industry. Some companies tested all of their employees, including the
secretaries, in the hope that hidden talent could be identifi ed.
99
A group
called the Computer Personnel Development Association was formed to
scour local community centers for promising programmer candidates.
100
Local YMCAs offered the test for a nominal fee, as did local community
colleges.
101
In 1968 computer service bureaus in New York City, desper-
