[PLUG] off-topic: SAS/SPSS/SQL training worth it?

[mmalten@comcast.net]

I'm looking at a career hop out of academic research and I could use some 
advice.

Since I do a lot of data analysis, I've been looking at data analysis 
jobs.  However, where I've been marinating in Matlab, with dashes of 
system identification and time series analysis, everyone else seems to be 
asking for SAS.

A fundamentals of SAS education package would cost $2700 for three classes 
(it seems SAS is running a sale, ha-hah).  I have the money and I would 
happily spend it to expand my career horizions.  But is SAS the way to go? 
There's also SPSS and SQL in demand.

The jobs that have been attracting my eye have been jobs in which 
statistics is applied in health care.  I like being an anal analyst, but I 
still like the idea of doing something that's a public good (which was my 
motivation for academic research in the first place!)

Advice for the over-educated, under-witted and probably impractical? 
Since this is off-topic, private email might be preferable.

Thanks in advance.

Mitch



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