Advise please: Re-training in programming

irish_bhoy82

Hi Guys

Some background, I qualified with a Degree in Software Development back in 2003 but fell into the IT Support area and have been there ever since. I have been contracting for almost 2 years, and the current role is very unpredictable. Gave my self a kick in the butt a few months back and began simply doing free courses online started off with Python as I heard it was a good starter langauge to get a taste for it and now I have moved on to Java. I done Java back in College but I admit up to when I started doing tutorials on it I had completely forgot it. Im at a stage currently in Java where I am probably very close to Intermediate, I still have alot to learn. Probably at the stage now where I am asking myself do I keep going? Is it worth it? Am I actually going to benefit from this? Im hoping I may get a new job probably not as a Developer(although that is the dream) but maybe a better role than I am currently in which involves some programming knowledge.

Any advise greatly appreciated.

Buford T Justice

irish_bhoy82 wrote: »

Hi Guys

Some background, I qualified with a Degree in Software Development back in 2003 but fell into the IT Support area and have been there ever since. I have been contracting for almost 2 years, and the current role is very unpredictable. Gave my self a kick in the butt a few months back and began simply doing free courses online started off with Python as I heard it was a good starter langauge to get a taste for it and now I have moved on to Java. I done Java back in College but I admit up to when I started doing tutorials on it I had completely forgot it. Im at a stage currently in Java where I am probably very close to Intermediate, I still have alot to learn. Probably at the stage now where I am asking myself do I keep going? Is it worth it? Am I actually going to benefit from this? Im hoping I may get a new job probably not as a Developer(although that is the dream) but maybe a better role than I am currently in which involves some programming knowledge.

Any advise greatly appreciated.

If dev is where you want to be, then spending time learning to use a language like java isn't a waste of time.

14ned

irish_bhoy82 wrote: »

Some background, I qualified with a Degree in Software Development back in 2003 but fell into the IT Support area and have been there ever since. I have been contracting for almost 2 years, and the current role is very unpredictable. Gave my self a kick in the butt a few months back and began simply doing free courses online started off with Python as I heard it was a good starter langauge to get a taste for it and now I have moved on to Java.

I've never understood why anyone would choose Java over Python if they had the choice, but each to their own I guess. A skilled Python developer earns a good bit more than a skilled Java developer right now, and that gap is likely to increase in years to come. It is though much easier to find a job in Java in Ireland currently.

I done Java back in College but I admit up to when I started doing tutorials on it I had completely forgot it. Im at a stage currently in Java where I am probably very close to Intermediate, I still have alot to learn. Probably at the stage now where I am asking myself do I keep going? Is it worth it? Am I actually going to benefit from this? Im hoping I may get a new job probably not as a Developer(although that is the dream) but maybe a better role than I am currently in which involves some programming knowledge.

As has been mentioned many times on this forum, if you want to advance in a programming career then you need to be programming outside your day job for the first seven to ten years after graduation writing code which will expand your horizons and build a portfolio with which you float to the top of the shortlist in your next interview.

I'm twenty years into my career with two small children. Believe me when I say it is extremely tough to find time to write open source code outside of the day job. But ninety minutes every morning before work can be found, many people I know use the commute on the train/bus each day. You just need to go that extra mile and accumulate all those quickly grabbed small bits of time over many years to build an impressive portfolio. And it's never too soon to start!

Niall

irish_bhoy82

Thanks Niall and Buford T Justice for your advice.

Niall Im not sure why I chose Java over Python. I was in 2 minds as well if to choose something like PHP or Ruby on rails- as maybe easier to learn and get a job from, but I just thought If i get a good understanding of Java again then I could maybe try learning them later. But I'll see how it goes. Im lucky enough with my current job as I rotate shifts from Nights to Days every 2 weeks. Nights are very quiet so I get to spend alot of time during those 2 weeks on learning code. And when Im on Days I usually spend at least an hour a Night after the kids have gone to bed(2 +1 on the way). It is tough I know. Im along way off trying to get a job in programming and maybe my best shout is a role that states knowledge of these languages as a desireability but not essential.

Buford T Justice

irish_bhoy82 wrote: »

Thanks Niall and Buford T Justice for your advice.

Niall Im not sure why I chose Java over Python. I was in 2 minds as well if to choose something like PHP or Ruby on rails- as maybe easier to learn and get a job from, but I just thought If i get a good understanding of Java again then I could maybe try learning them later. But I'll see how it goes. Im lucky enough with my current job as I rotate shifts from Nights to Days every 2 weeks. Nights are very quiet so I get to spend alot of time during those 2 weeks on learning code. And when Im on Days I usually spend at least an hour a Night after the kids have gone to bed(2 +1 on the way). It is tough I know. Im along way off trying to get a job in programming and maybe my best shout is a role that states knowledge of these languages as a desireability but not essential.

In m experience, php is a great starter language. The fact that it's loosely typed makes it easy to get to grips with and knock up stuff easily enough. Its not, however without its drawbacks. Since its a mish mosh between OO principles and procedural it's hard to know which way to go. It also lets you ignore / not learn some fundamentals of OO design if you so choose it. Bad habits are easily picked up here which can be hard to lose.

My advice is get stuck in with Java, C# or one of the strictly typed languages. It can be tough but it's worth it in the end. In the long run its easier to go from something like C# or java to php than the other way round. The job pool and salary tend to be higher in these areas too..

My 2 Cents

14ned

irish_bhoy82 wrote: »

Niall Im not sure why I chose Java over Python. I was in 2 minds as well if to choose something like PHP or Ruby on rails- as maybe easier to learn and get a job from, but I just thought If i get a good understanding of Java again then I could maybe try learning them later.

You definitely do need to decide if you're going the web services route, the applications route or the systems programming route. The former means languages like PHP, Ruby etc, the middle means Java, C#, .NET etc and the latter means C++, Go etc.

All three are quite different in terms of being able to visualise your work and the ability to use visual creativity. All three have quite different forms of building a portfolio too.

Ultimately it depends on what floats your boat. If you find yourself irresistibly drawn to some niche, that's the niche you need to invest in if it can employ you at a good wage in Ireland. I've personally always found the stuff which really motivates you never has a ready job market in Ireland, or has no job market at all anywhere. But it wouldn't be a day job if it were motivating, so try to find something which you really love and then find an employable well paid niche nearby which you can tolerate.

Niall