Programming jobs?

[Southtown]

Anyone know of a computer science field that has good odds of employment. I am getting sent back to school through 'Trade Act' because I got laid off last October. I've decided on a bachelor's in computer programming. The catch is that Trade Act wants me to provide three job openings in a specific field that I would qualify for after school.

[freeztar]

What is this "Trade Act" you speak of?

I got layed off last October as well. I've since been pursuing computer related jobs (computer repair, Adwords administration, web design). There's your three. :eek_big:

[Southtown]

To qualify for trade act, or trade adjustment assistance (TAA), your specific industry or occupation (making cabinets in my case) has to suffer loss of business due to international competition. Also, there has to be a petition filed with enough signatures. I think it falls upon the affected employees to initiate the application for their particular company. But then all employees that are laid off will qualify to apply for trade act.

 

Trade Act Program: TAA for Workers

[GAHD]

S2Games - Jobs

"Expert with the C++ language "

 

https://jobs3.netmedia1.com/cp/search.jsp

"378 vacancies match your query Group results byblank image Location, Business unit, Job role

 

Search criteria: Software Development, IBM

"

[alexander]

I dont have a degree of any kind, and i just got a new job, and actually put in my 2 weeks notice today, but really most of the IT field jobs are fairly secure, thing is, as long as you are a "specialist", as long as you know more about what you do then most people care to even realize, you will always be able to find a job. As long as you learn quickly, can adapt to new ways and follow procedures, sometimes by saying "yes sir" and doing it your way anyways.

 

Other then that, look at jobs in high end network infrastructure, VoIP, systems administration and management, programming, especially for embedded devices, and microprocessors, high end game and other high end software development (requires thorough knowledge of math preferably), etc, all those fields continue growth even though the economy's in a slump. Also make sure you know your stuff, Bachelors means nothing if you cant do what you claim to.

 

Throwing some wood into fire :)

[Southtown]

Well, I'm no expert, but assuming I'm at the top of the game, my question is which fields are hiring people right out of school with no experience (outside of curricular experience.) I have to apply for this TAA and they require me to print out an industry report from the state website for a specific industry (more specific than just programming) then I have to provide three example job openings for which I will qualify upon competion (obviously these opening will be irrelevant in 3 yrs.,) plus I have to provide all the tuition/fee and budget/income info, and a list of all the courses I'll take in nine terms. (I have to condense from 12 to 9 terms by taking 15 credits at a time to keep it all within 104 weeks and under $20k.)

 

In short, I just need to make my application pretty. It doesn't matter which field I end up in or if I know my stuff, but whether or not my application looks appealing because if not, college is a no-go altogether and ipso facto I'm back to applying at Walmart.

 

My current choice is Computer Programming and Software, from which my advisor has twice tried to defer me, the latest comment being something like, "We'll find out how much you're into Computer Science." My other choices are IT, security, or mutlimedia. Obviously, game programming is a definite maybe. lol

 

http://www.sou.edu/cs/degrees.html

 

PS. My first choice was geology but those bitches need Masters degrees. booo (fsck the man)

[Buffy]

Well, no, I don't hire core software developers right out of school (even if their first name is Alexander :) ), but there are plenty of places the do go where knowledge of programming--although more importantly, how programs work, or rather don't--like Quality Assurance and Technical Support.

 

If you're a "people person" you'll go for the latter, whereas if you're not, you'll go for the former. Most developers get drawn from these departments if they're both overqualified for their jobs and shown the proper aptitudes and skills on the job (both require looking at code and explaining what's gone wrong).

 

Now it's true that these jobs have been heavily outsourced to India, but there's a backlash and some of us who run these companies don't think outsourcing pays off, so there are jobs in these areas in the First World.

 

There's also IT operations, which is increasingly meaning the hundreds of hosting companies out there rather than corporate IT, but they're all "local" because latency to the rest of the world sucks (as those of you not close to the Hypo server probably are well aware of....).

 

There, that's 3. All are "hired out of school" even though many request "2-3 years of experience" it's never an absolute requirement for the entry level positions where you're mainly a warm body (e.g. it's you that gets to pull phone/machine room duty on Christmas day...).

 

The test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves, :)

Buffy

[Southtown]

The test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves, :)

Buffy

Tru dat. I'm 33 years old, and I'm familiar with bottom feeding. I'm confident I can find work somewhere in the computer world especially if I have a BS. But there's a difference between reality and what looks good on paper (also learned from experience.)

 

Your knowledge is much appreciated. And it's good to hear from you by the way.

[alexander]

if their first name is Alexander

Who are we kidding, Buffy, you know you'd hire me. Maybe not as a "core developer" but you can always use people who spend more time with computers then they spend doing all other activities put together, people with a nack for the future, who also happen to be coders from hell, to whom "free(passcode);" is a line that brings great concern. Also people that can work tirelessly on a problem at times 2-3 days in a row, who think first, write code only after they know the best way to go about it, and also people who know the OS side of things and worry about things like compiler optimization, memory footprint. Oooh, also you'd hire me because i can run your infrastructure, and because you just like me so much, oh and also cuz you think i'm hot, or maybe it was the other way around, *in Bruno's voice* vateva, is no big deal */Bruno's voice* :)

 

Besides, i just got sytem programmer/analyst/magical server monkey position at a VoIP company, how's that for a kid with no college degree or certifications of any kind that wouldn't even be hired by Buffy to write simple vb.net code :)

 

I loves you all the same, Buffy, just picking on you a bit, because i haven't seen you here in a while, and we miss you :) how are things?

[Buffy]

...magical server monkey...

 

Now those are hard to find. I'd hire one in a New York minute. :Nurse:

 

Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads, :hyper:

Buffy

[Southtown]

...but there are plenty of places the do go where knowledge of programming--although more importantly, how programs work, or rather don't--like Quality Assurance and Technical Support.

It's been my experience, being the goto guy for friends and family, that, while QA may involve knowing how programs work, Tech. Support more involves knowing how people work.

 

I think I got this application wrapped up. I didn't need to get as specific as I thought, and assuming the state approves me, I'm not going to be picky and I doubt potential employers will be picky either.