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Career Help

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  • 29-04-2012 6:40pm
    #1
    djsim101
    Registered Users Posts: 588 ✭✭✭


    HI guys, would like some help.

    I am interested in taking up a career in programming. I am a bit late (as in, im 31) but I would love to give it a go.

    I cannot return to college full time, but I was thinking of doing this JAVA course:

    http://javaprogrammingcourses.ie/java_programming_course_distance_learning.php

    I am currently working in the IT sector but more in IT support (hardware)

    This course costs a grand and wondering:

    a) would it be money well spent
    b) would a company take me on just with a JAVA course

    Looking forward to your comments.

    Many thanks,


Comments

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    #2
    MagicRon
    Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭MagicRon


    You won't learn in 14 weeks what an IT grad learns in 3-5 years of full time study. So for a, I would say no and for b, I would say no.


  • Options
    #3
    longhalloween
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,207 ✭✭✭longhalloween


    Maybe have a look at bluebrick.ie for online/distance courses from colleges? Most of their courses should be available from the middle of may onwards, and start in September.


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    #4
    onemorechance
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭onemorechance


    a) I don't think that e995 is money well spent for an online course, it would need to be in class a few hours per week to be worth that. There are lots of free online courses out there. If you would like the support that the course you mention may be able to provide in terms of a lecturer you can email or fellow students you can ask, then you can achieve the same from Google searches or forums like this one here.

    Check out these free courses from MIT http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/

    If you are looking for the certificate you would be better off just doing the Sun (now Oracle) Certified Exams. You can buy a book or use free online resources to study for it and pay only the exam fee. I think that it's much cheaper to do an old exam, like version version 5 or 6 than the newest one, 7 I think.

    b) I doubt that many companies would be too impressed with this course, at a guess. The Sun / Oracle Certs might be more impressive but I expect they would only be useful if you were equal to another candidate in most other ways. Practical work experience in the area is most important.

    Since you are in hardware you will need to be creative when trying for programming jobs. Use anything in your current experience which you can in any way make seem relevant. It might be useful to start doing Android apps as it's Java based, it's a new and popular technology and it's a great way to get Java experience which you can use in a CV and interview.


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