[comp.edu] Advice for my sister

bixby@pinocchio.Encore.COM (Peter Bixby) (05/03/91)

    My sister has decided, after raising her kids, to go back to work.
    Since she saw lots of ads for programmers she started looking into
    some kind of technical school that teaches programming in a 6 month-
    5 day a week program.

    So last night she called and asked my advice, but unfortunately I
    couldn't help much since I'm in a radically different end of the
    business (I can't even spell COBOL :-)

    I don't know the name of the school so I'm not asking about any
    one particular school, but a more general set of questions:

      - What is the job market for commercial programmers like?

      - Can you get a job with this kind of education or do you
	need a degree?

      - Any gotcha's she should know about?

    I believe that my sister is reasonably intelligent and capable
    (e.g., National Merit Finalist, etc.), if that has any bearing.

    Any input is welcome, thanks.

-pete

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*
* Pete Bixby			Encore Computer Corporation
* pbixby@encore.com		508-460-0500 x 2630
*
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marti@saturn.ucsc.edu (Marti Atkinson) (05/04/91)

> - What is the job market for commercial programmers like?

Altho I can't speak for other parts of the country, even with a
recession going on, there's still lots of jobs for commerial
programmers in our neck of the woods, ie Silicon Valley, CA.

> - Can you get a job with this kind of education or do you
 >    need a degree?

A degree certainly helps.  Students graduating from UCSC with
computer degrees get jobs faster and with higher pay than students
looking for computer jobs from other majors or getting AS degrees
from the local junior college.

>- Any gotcha's she should know about?

If time is short, she should stick to learning the most common  systems.
I quick look through your local newpapers' want ads should tell you what
systems are popular in her area.

Best Wishes!




Marti Atkinson
University of Calif. at Santa Cruz  
marti@saturn.ucsc.edu
marti@uccrls.BITNET
..!ucbvax!ucscc!saturn!marti