IT Employment

Well it depends where you live and what the IT employment rate is there. It differs everywhere.

In other countres, Novell and Linux is becoming more dominant, in most parts of the US, Microsoft is the dominant choice. THe only problem with that is EVERYONE is an MCSE looking for work.

I am an MCNE myself, and NOvell Linux is hot to go with IBM and HP/Compaq promoting NOvell Linux and providing it as OEM on new servers and workstations. I make more money than most MCSE's as the market isn't saturated with techs.

Oracle would be a little late to get into now as it is no longer such a prediminant choice.

I chose Python script for code (aside from Web design and Java script etc), it is very specialized work but pays HUGE bucks and can be written hundreds of times faster than other languages. It is mainly used to customized email scanning, Public Key Infrastructures and security.
Interesting and easy code to learn online in your spare time, very secure and in high demand by security companies, banks etc. http://www.python.org

You'd really have to see what the demand is locally though, there's no way to predict your industry without exploring it, unless you want to relocate to seek a specific career.