Self-Learning

remus808

I'm a 2nd year Computer Science student, and can't find work doing anything IT related for the summer, so I'v decided to take the onus on myself and get something positive and career related out of the next few months.

Just wondering if anyone has suggestions on what I should turn my attentions to? I was thinking it'd be great to do some sort of formal certification that I can put on my CV.

I'v focussed on Java to date, but have picked up some C in the last semester. Interested in going into software development/engineering. Also have basic experience in web languages.

pauldiv

Just a few thoughts since it's a Sunday and I have nothing much to rush for.
Hope it's a good read...

Second year was a problem for me too in the same respect as I did not have a placement lined up. I was already doing the Cisco CCNA as an extra during the second year of my computing degree and carried on working through the summer towards the industry exam. I passed it and felt pretty good about achieving such a respected qualification.

The reason I did it was because like most computing people I have an active mind and like a technical challenge. I was passionate about networking and wanted to learn all I could. As a result the networking course I later did in third year was a cake walk and I got through it without breaking sweat. Maybe you should think about your next year too at this stage.

If you want to work as a network engineer it is experience that counts. I knew that the CCNA was only a piece of paper however and was under no illusions that I would walk into a dream job. In a previous life I was an electronics engineer so choosing the Cisco course made sense to me at the time because I was gaining knowledge in what is yet another part of the huge field of electrical/electronic engineering applications. At the time I saw myself ending up either going into networking or back into electronics after I graduated. Things were to later turn out very differently though.

In third year I did Java just because it was not Microsoft lol and created an interactive application for learning about how electronic circuits work. I was building on something I knew but it also helped me discover my creative side and I developed a fascination for user interface design. I was always amazed at how difficult it was to operate a 1980's video recorder without reaching for a hammer.

At the same time I was doing a lot of studying and practicing with databases and I learned a bit about web site design even though it was not part of the course. Now the web is my passion and I study it in both a technical sense and as an observer because I like to look at problems from a higher level and not become a bogged down techie.

By the time I graduated I didn't want to work either in networking or professional programming. As you can see a person can change direction very quickly in the computing field but the best advice I can give you is to follow your instnicts. What fascinates you is what will drive you and if you are driven then you can do anything you want.

Software engineering is a fascinating field and it would be a good move for someone who is personable, good at systems analysis and has clear communication skills. You also need a thick skin. Other people are more suited to programming because they have a natural affinity for pure logic but then they might rely on someone giving them instructions on a daily basis.

I would look around and see what people actually say about their work. Do they like it? What are the working practices like? Is it too rigid and lacking in fun etc. You want to work in something that you lets you create and be happy...self expression is important. As far as I can tell there are lot of people who are always moaning about computing work. It doesn't need to be that way if you look at the long term and what you really want to do.

If you are going to spend the summer doing something productive I would recommend setting up a blog in wordpress and talking about all you know. You could have sections on Java and C as well as anything else you are interested in, such as software engineering. If you do it well then by the time you graduate you would be able to show people that you have a successful little earner going for you and that you are knowledgable in your field. Get rich slowly lol.

A blog will let you discover more of the web, be fun and give you a break from the heavy stuff. You will also learn how to write and communicate better. Oh and there are lots of nice php codes in wordpress that will keep you busy if you need a programming fix :-)

What about getting into open source?
There are lots of good projects around that need people to help with coding and documentation. You would learn how a large software project is run and managed. This would also let you see software engineering in all its finery where you would learn about project planning and execution and how all the communication are handled. You would learn to spot why some projects succeed and what makes them so successful... for example, why it would take a billion dollars to re-create something like Debian Linux and why the Irish Government have had huge cockups like PPARS and the $50 million useless electronic voting machines. The credit union was ripped off for $20 million by a crowd of crooks from the UK posing as consultants. There is much more to the computing game than just coding lol.

You are in a very exciting field and should recognise that your options are unlimited. If you learn to look at computing as more than just coding then it really can make your life much better.

Bon Chance.