Career guidance for an aspiring software developer?

[RyouKei]

Hi all, I am a 23M Singaporean that ****ed up my life quite significantly(I have quite unique circumstances) and would like to get it back on track. I have no work experience(unless you count part-time F&B), with only fairly decent O level grades and butchered A Levels grades(57 rank points) so I am quite stuck with nowhere to go. On the bright side, I have found an area of interest that I would like to get into(computing) but have no idea what options are left for me. I have tried self-learning some computer languages out of curiosity and I know the basics of Javascript and Python(obligatory html and CSS as well), having made some very simple projects(budget app, arithmetic formatter, roman numeral converter e.g). The experience of trying to figure out a way to write algorithms that solve a problem at-hand is quite exciting so I thought that I would like to study this field.

However, my qualifications aren't worth much so I am not sure on how to proceed.

From what I have gathered, I could apply for a polytechnic information technology course with my O levels, obtain a diploma in 3 years, immediately start working and apply for a part-time computer science degree from a local uni while working. That would introduce me into the workforce with a polytechnic diploma at 26.

Or I could try to get a student loan to study computer science in a private university and complete the program in 3 years to enter the workforce with a private degree at 26.

The second option saves me quite some time since I am already lagging behind my peers but I have read many horror stories regarding private degrees. I have read about how less than 50% of private uni graduates were able to find jobs within 6 months after graduating or about how many private university students went into a completely unrelated field(that did not require their degree) because they could not find employment. The idea of wasting more time and money and producing nothing terrifies me.

There is also the concern about the quality of education. I have looked up the private degrees in computer science and most of them offer a course that last 2 years or less. Local universities offer the computer science courses which last 4 years. I am worried about how much content is skipped for the emphasis of just obtaining the paper qualification. If the education provided by private universities is lacking, I think that I might be better off learning from a local polytechnic.

Can anyone share their experience with computer science degrees from private universities or give some advice on how I should proceed? I do not shy away from hard work but I am completely lost and need some guidance. Thank you for your time in reading this.

 

[davidktw]

Hi all, I am a 23M Singaporean that ****ed up my life quite significantly(I have quite unique circumstances) and would like to get it back on track. I have no work experience(unless you count part-time F&B), with only fairly decent O level grades and butchered A Levels grades(57 rank points) so I am quite stuck with nowhere to go. On the bright side, I have found an area of interest that I would like to get into(computing) but have no idea what options are left for me. I have tried self-learning some computer languages out of curiosity and I know the basics of Javascript and Python(obligatory html and CSS as well), having made some very simple projects(budget app, arithmetic formatter, roman numeral converter e.g). The experience of trying to figure out a way to write algorithms that solve a problem at-hand is quite exciting so I thought that I would like to study this field.

However, my qualifications aren't worth much so I am not sure on how to proceed.

From what I have gathered, I could apply for a polytechnic information technology course with my O levels, obtain a diploma in 3 years, immediately start working and apply for a part-time computer science degree from a local uni while working. That would introduce me into the workforce with a polytechnic diploma at 26.

Or I could try to get a student loan to study computer science in a private university and complete the program in 3 years to enter the workforce with a private degree at 26.

The second option saves me quite some time since I am already lagging behind my peers but I have read many horror stories regarding private degrees. I have read about how less than 50% of private uni graduates were able to find jobs within 6 months after graduating or about how many private university students went into a completely unrelated field(that did not require their degree) because they could not find employment. The idea of wasting more time and money and producing nothing terrifies me.

There is also the concern about the quality of education. I have looked up the private degrees in computer science and most of them offer a course that last 2 years or less. Local universities offer the computer science courses which last 4 years. I am worried about how much content is skipped for the emphasis of just obtaining the paper qualification. If the education provided by private universities is lacking, I think that I might be better off learning from a local polytechnic.

Can anyone share their experience with computer science degrees from private universities or give some advice on how I should proceed? I do not shy away from hard work but I am completely lost and need some guidance. Thank you for your time in reading this.

In response to your post, I come from an angle of an individual whom has been working for near 2 decades in the software development industry developing large scale enterprise solutions and also someone whom spent 4 years in a comp sci faculty from a local university, hence you can take it as possible reference for your consideration. I did not experience the same as what you have in your live, so I won't be able to give you the most accurate advice.

Lets start off with; At 26 years old, you have at least 65 - 26 = 34 years of career ahead of you, and a golden 45 - 26 = 19 years to play your catch up game. Hence don't be too pessimistic about lagging behind. 19 years is not a short sprint.

The most important thing that I always remind anyone whom want to come into the IT industry is "Are you passionate enough ?" While there exist some that take a job as a job; I can assure you, it will be a very torturous and uneventful journey because of the evergreen requirement in the IT industry. So be prepared to always keep yourself updated throughout your entire career. Face it, if you want to see new features annually in your smartphone and new technologies emerging from time to time at such fast pace, workers in this industry will just also need to keep up with the ever-changing technologies. Without the necessary passion to treat this job as something you love, which only you will spend excessive time and effort to keep honing the craft, your "golden" years will be so much shorter or may never even exist.

With the above in mind, my recommendation to you is to attend the a local diploma as a stepping stone to a full fledge Computer Science course in the local university. As you have rightfully pointed out, local universities offer 3-4 years of studies, which will expose you to various disciplines of Computer Science. Don't short change yourself on the time required to pick up as much knowledge as you can in the course. Certifications may be important, but certifications do not fly astronauts onto Moon nor make drones lift on Mars; Knowledge does. Likewise you ought to spend the 3-4 years wisely to get exposed to as much Computer Science and its related knowledge as possible. Computer Science is an application of Mathematics, Sciences and Philosophies. Programming languages and frameworks are just one of its many tools available. Don't focus only on a subset of Computer Science. The discipline is far more stretching than just a couple of popular programming languages.

Good luck in your endeavour.

 

[RyouKei]

In response to your post, I come from an angle of an individual whom has been working for near 2 decades in the software development industry developing large scale enterprise solutions and also someone whom spent 4 years in a comp sci faculty from a local university, hence you can take it as possible reference for your consideration. I did not experience the same as what you have in your live, so I won't be able to give you the most accurate advice.

Lets start off with; At 26 years old, you have at least 65 - 26 = 34 years of career ahead of you, and a golden 45 - 26 = 19 years to play your catch up game. Hence don't be too pessimistic about lagging behind. 19 years is not a short sprint.

The most important thing that I always remind anyone whom want to come into the IT industry is "Are you passionate enough ?" While there exist some that take a job as a job; I can assure you, it will be a very torturous and uneventful journey because of the evergreen requirement in the IT industry. So be prepared to always keep yourself updated throughout your entire career. Face it, if you want to see new features annually in your smartphone and new technologies emerging from time to time at such fast pace, workers in this industry will just also need to keep up with the ever-changing technologies. Without the necessary passion to treat this job as something you love, which only you will spend excessive time and effort to keep honing the craft, your "golden" years will be so much shorter or may never even exist.

With the above in mind, my recommendation to you is to attend the a local diploma as a stepping stone to a full fledge Computer Science course in the local university. As you have rightfully pointed out, local universities offer 3-4 years of studies, which will expose you to various disciplines of Computer Science. Don't short change yourself on the time required to pick up as much knowledge as you can in the course. Certifications may be important, but certifications do not fly astronauts onto Moon nor make drones lift on Mars; Knowledge does. Likewise you ought to spend the 3-4 years wisely to get exposed to as much Computer Science and its related knowledge as possible. Computer Science is an application of Mathematics, Sciences and Philosophies. Programming languages and frameworks are just one of its many tools available. Don't focus only on a subset of Computer Science. The discipline is far more stretching than just a couple of popular programming languages.

Good luck in your endeavour.

Thank you for taking the effort to offer me your perspective, it is very helpful!

Learning and applying what I have learnt to create something(albeit very simple somethings) through trial and error was quite fulfilling and the thought of learning new tools to create more complex projects fills me with excitement. I am not sure if this excitement will last throughout my working life but it's currently all I have towards any particular field. I will bear in mind your advice about constant learning.

I have found a private degree course that last 3 years rather than 2 and I am hoping that it will suffice. I would like to take my time and take the long, thorough route but I have a time limit before I need to start earning income. My funds are limited and I cannot be a burden to my parents.
Unless of course you have personally found the quality of private education to be lacking. May I ask what your experience is with privately-educated juniors?

 

[davidktw]

Thank you for taking the effort to offer me your perspective, it is very helpful!

Learning and applying what I have learnt to create something(albeit very simple somethings) through trial and error was quite fulfilling and the thought of learning new tools to create more complex projects fills me with excitement. I am not sure if this excitement will last throughout my working life but it's currently all I have towards any particular field. I will bear in mind your advice about constant learning.

I have found a private degree course that last 3 years rather than 2 and I am hoping that it will suffice. I would like to take my time and take the long, thorough route but I have a time limit before I need to start earning income. My funds are limited and I cannot be a burden to my parents.
Unless of course you have personally found the quality of private education to be lacking. May I ask what your experience is with privately-educated juniors?

Private or state university don't bother me. Besides architecting enterprise web solutions, I am also constantly involved in the hiring process. Unfortunately I must say compared to what I see in my cohort and colleagues or friends I knew in the line, the calibre of those these days ain't very promising. Too much distraction and too little focus on the fundamentals of what makes a good software engineer. I have encountered local state universities candidates that just can't make it and also some that can. To my limited knowledge, I do realise private universities curricula are rather limiting these days, but that doesn't mean all private universities candidates don't make it, just rarer.

My recommendation to you in getting a longer and more fulfilling degree is 3-4 years is on the understanding it takes time to learn something. It is simply unreasonable to assume a 3-4 years course can be compressed into a 2 years one and still assumed to be of same quality. The amount you are going to spend in an institution is nothing compared to the time you need to plough ahead of you. I understand financial burden is always going to be a concern, so do as much as you can afford or your parents can afford, don't let them down.

If you have to choose a private degree, then compare to the one offer by NUSSOC and see how they differs. You just gotta make up the differences on your own.
Refer to the post at https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/...-developer-earn.6625779/page-3#post-137653606 to read about what I answer in another thread.

 

[RyouKei]

Thank you for your guidance! I will be sure to compare your list to the course curriculum.

Sorry to bother you further but I would like to ask another thing. You have mentioned being involved in the hiring process. Can I ask what HR looks for in a fresh graduate's resume? Pedigree of the degree is a given, internship experience, passion projects, extra certifications and what else?

Also can I ask what are the general requirements to be accepted for IT internships?

And what specializations in technology are in demand right now(Machine learning, AI, mobile development etc.)? The program offers specialization in the last year so I would like a reference.

 

[davidktw]

Thank you for your guidance! I will be sure to compare your list to the course curriculum.

Sorry to bother you further but I would like to ask another thing. You have mentioned being involved in the hiring process. Can I ask what HR looks for in a fresh graduate's resume? Pedigree of the degree is a given, internship experience, passion projects, extra certifications and what else?

Also can I ask what are the general requirements to be accepted for IT internships?

And what specializations in technology are in demand right now(Machine learning, AI, mobile development etc.)? The program offers specialization in the last year so I would like a reference.

No issue. My objective in HWZ forum is to engage people that are interested in IT and also to help and share in ways I'm capable of.

Normally the requirements are your usual CS diploma or degrees. There are times relevant degrees like ME, EEE, or even Mathematics may qualify. However the requirement to have some knowledge of programming is necessary. Companies are not obligated to teach you how to program, right ? If you need me to tell you what you are required to enter the IT line, don't you think that is too much spoon feeding ? Look at the online career sites like LinkedIn, JobStreet, Monster, or JobsDB. It should be all right there
Goes without saying interviewers will look for aptitude and attitude. There will normally be technical assessment to test you.

Normally internships are either for undergrads which are still in the middle of learning, for them to get some experience working in a tech firm. The requirements can be quite general, normally is relevant to the job scope of IT too. Nothing special since it is normally not assumed interns know everything.

The popular ones are like fintech, web, AI, mobile development and so forth. Nothing out of the norm seriously. Just visit the online jobs sites and you will see the general requirements.

 

[RyouKei]

Alright, thank you very much! Time for some research.

 

[davidktw]

Alright, thank you very much! Time for some research.

Yup. Research, that is the thing you should never stop doing in the IT world. Godspeed

 

[mikamico]

Yup. Research, that is the thing you should never stop doing in the IT world. Godspeed

Yeah agreed. Research is probably one of the biggest thing in any tech areas concerned.

Speaking about knowledge, do you think if a tertiary certificate (like from poly or uni) is really required to excel in the tech field?

 

[davidktw]

Speaking about knowledge, do you think if a tertiary certificate (like from poly or uni) is really required to excel in the tech field?

Knowledge is what that excels, not certificates.

The chicken and egg problem is "How do I know if you are qualified without testing you from A to Z ?" That's where the certification helps. The certification obviously doesn't tell the entire story. But after your interviewer have tested you and then look at what your certification says about you, your interviewer can have a better gauge on the quality of the candidate.

Between 2 persons whom have very similar assessment results, which one do you think tells a better story ? One whom doesn't have a certification to helps qualify or one whom has ? Risk assessment comes into play too, don't you agree ?