JOCKEY INTERNATIONAL, Inc.

"We have the advantages of a small town while also having access to the big-city activities of Chicago and Milwaukee."
– Dick Klabunde, Director Systems

• IBM AS/400 • COBOL, RPG •
• Manufacturer • Medium-sized shop •

Jockey International manufactures apparel for men, women, boys, and girls. Knit underwear is the company's primary product. Jockey apparel is sold worldwide and is licensed in 126 countries. The Jockey name is one of the ten best-known trade names in the country.

Founded in 1876, Jockey International is a privately-held company with 5,000 employees. Corporate headquarters are in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Jockey International has won a number of awards for excellence in advertising. The company is actively involved in the community, raising funds for a local children's playground and donating clothing for disaster relief.

Technology

Computer professionals work on an IBM AS/400, which is on a Novell Netware Local Area Network with 200 IBM PCs. Programming is in COBOL and RPG. Additional software includes Dun & Bradstreet financial packages and application areas such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and bar coding.

Jockey International employs 50 computer professionals. Job titles include Programmer Trainee, Programmer, Programmer Analyst, Senior Programmer, Lead Programmer, Analyst, and Project Leader. Twenty-five percent of the work is new development; the balance is maintenance work.

On a recent project, computer professionals developed an Executive Information System (EIS), using the Local Area Network and a 400-gigabyte (GB) server to create a development environment in which executives can access the AS/400 for reports. The system was developed in COBOL and Showcase Vista, an SQL-like client server language.

Culture

Computer professionals work in cubicles and offices. A room is set aside for smoking. Travel is limited to one or two trips a year to company plants and warehouses. Hours are flexible, but typically are from 7:30 AM to 4 PM. Occasional uncompensated overtime may be needed for trouble-shooting.

Jockey International observes a standard number of holidays. The company offers two weeks of vacation to start, three weeks after ten years, four weeks after fifteen years, and five weeks after twenty years. The company shuts down between Christmas and New Year's Day.

The company offers medical, disability, dental, and life insurance; tuition reimbursement; a retirement plan; and profit-sharing program. In past layoffs the company worked extensively with affected employees to help them find other positions; the company also provided a severance package.

Candidates

Jockey International looks for computer professionals whose well-rounded skills combine business and technical experience. A good foundation in accounting and business practices, for instance, should be balanced with a degree in Management Information Systems. The company does hire entry-level computer professionals. Candidates do not need a college degree, but they should score well on a programmer's aptitude test. Internal technical training is provided.

The average computer professional at Jockey International has five to seven years of experience and a Bachelor's degree. Jockey International hires up to three computer professionals a year and finds candidates through advertisements and employment agencies.

Contact

A letter with a resume is preferred.

Human Resources

(414) 658-9111

Jockey International, Inc.

2300 Sixtieth Street

Kenosha, Wisconsin 53140

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